


Its Okay to Run

by Melee12



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Broken Bones, Domestic Violence, Erebor never fell, Injury, M/M, Minor Character Death, One-Sided Attraction, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Rated For Violence, Sexual Assault, Teasing, nwalin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-04-09 18:17:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4359317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melee12/pseuds/Melee12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After escaping to Erebor, the Ri family is trying to put the past behind them and start anew.  With a very pregnant mother, and Nori's inability to stay out of trouble (even when he isn't doing anything wrong) nearly assures them a bumpy road ahead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Home

**Author's Note:**

> Whoo, first Hobbit fic! I'm trying to stay on this and post a new chapter at least once a week! I hope you enjoy!

Everything seemed so new and overwhelming. Food vendors sent their spices rising into the air, meeting the noses of the passersby as their meats and vegetables sizzled on grills and in pans. Toys chimed and spun in the arms and hands of children running past, stomping around, and making noise as they kicked up a small bit of dust that had settled on the cavern floors of the mountain. There were jewelers with their jewelry and trinkets, grocers with tables laden with exotic fruits and delicacies, and clothing hanging from stalls of traders. Services such as tattooing and small tailoring jobs by apprentices were offered in the open where their work could be viewed by onlookers, promoting themselves and their master’s shops behind them. Each foot step brought him deeper into the rush of Erebor. Dwarrows moved around, offering ‘Good Mornings’ and ‘Hellos’ despite not evening knowing the Dwarfs they were passing.

It was very different from his old home in Ered Luin. The market place wasn't nearly as big there and the guards were fewer and much more far between in his old home. 

Despite all the hustle and bustle, and running around him, Nori, was thankful that no one had actually bumped into him. Honestly, it would have been so easy to bump into him with how many Dwarfs were on the street. He thanked Mahal that the street was nice and wide enough for two, maybe even three carts to pass by them if necessary, because there were certainly more Dwarrows here than there was in Ered Luin, or any part of the Blue Mountains he had been to, for that matter. 

He held his right arm to him delicately. He shouldn’t have taken it out of its sling so early. For a dwarf, his age, a broken arm took about a month to heal. It had taken three weeks to get to Erebor from Ered Luin, and they had been here for about three days already. 

Dori, and their mother, had told him to keep it in the sling for the full time, but of course he hadn’t listened, and now he was paying for it with a painful ache through his arm. 

He winced as a Dwarfling finally knocked into him, sending a shot of pain through his arm. He was fast to hold his arm tightly and glare at the little Dwarf that had fell backward to the ground. He took a breath quickly and softened his expression, the last thing he wanted to do is make a dwarfling cry because he was glowering down at him. 

“Sorry!” The child squeaked up at Nori when he began to stand. They were a small little thing.

Nori looked down at him with soft eyes and a tiny smile. “Its alright, run along now, with your friends.” 

The child’s eyes shone brightly and he beamed at Nori, having expected a talking to for running around and for not watching where they had ran. They giggled and ran off to catch up with another group of dwarflings.

Nori frowned and gave a hard sigh. He was ready to scream, perhaps messing something up in his arm after being hit. His arm throbbed more painfully. The red headed dwarf knew had to get home, get his sling, and get something to dull the pain. 

What had Dori said about the pain again? Nori thought hard about it. Concentrating on something else helps? Is that what his brother had told him? He couldn’t fully remember, but he had to do something. The pain was getting worse.

He looked around him and at the Dwarrows passing him. Nori shut his eyes tight, wondering if he should really be focusing on what he wanted to focus on.

Slowly he opened his eyes back up and stared at the gems and jewels adorning the hair, necks, wrists, fingers, and clothing of other Dwarrows. Ideas on what would be the best way to take them, where to sell them, in how many pieces to get him the best price all ran through his head. He had to stop himself but it helped him stop thinking about the pain.

Something else. What else was there to think of for him? Other than being a thief. Dori maybe? 

Nori began a slow walk back through the city, thinking about his brother and their new home.

_"You can not do anything wrong here, Nori." Dori had said sternly, glaring at his little brother. "Now, I love you, Mahal knows I love you with my whole heart, and I understand that you were in deep with thieving back in Ered Luin, even when your sire wasn't around, but no more. Not here. We can't allow anyone to know where we came from, or why we are here, or cause an uproar, it won't be safe for us as a family. I don't want to see you in some deep dark prison cell." By the end of what he was saying, he was in a hushed whisper. "It would stress mother out, Nori. She's pregnant, she was barely able to make the trip here."_

_Nori had snorted. "If Amad was worried or stressed, she'd tell me herself. Besides, we didn't have to come here, things back home were fine. I don't want to be in Erebor. I liked Ered Luin, all my friends are there, if mother didn't make me come, and wasn't around, I'd run away from you, back there."_

_He didn't mean to sound so mean towards Dori, or hurt his feelings, but he never wanted to leave Ered Luin. He didn't even feel like their reason for leaving was a good one, it wasn't like this was the first time his sire had brought him into or directly harmed him._

_Dori gave him a look that made Nori think he was going to be smacked. He was thinking about taking a step back, but there was no way Dori would hit him._

_Dori knew his own strength could break his little brother, and the last thing he would want to do is re-break Nori's arm. The eldest brother's strength had begun to kick in, just like Dori's father's. Nori was thankful for that, because otherwise, he could practically feel the punch to his shoulder or clap on the back of the head. Not that Dori ever did any real harm to him. Not as much as his own sire did. No, Dori probably did love Nori, even if, right now, he hated him, unlike Vikis, Nori's sire._

Nori huffed and looked around the marketplace, drawing himself back from his head. He didn't like thinking of that either. 

This was all Vikis' fault though. If Vikis hadn't harmed him after he screwed up that last job, their mother wouldn't have swept herself, Dori, and him all the way to Erebor in the dead of the night. 

Nori was about to curse his sire under his breath when he noticed people were yelling and gasping around him. They were clearing the way...exactly where he was.

He suddenly he felt a body slam into him and both of them went flying down to the ground. 

Nori screamed as he felt his arm, which had already been in pain, slammed against the ground. There was an audible crack when it hit, and by the pain that shot up his arm, there was no doubt that his arm was broken again. The dwarf didn't have much time to think about it since the pain was excruciating. His vision and pain were beginning to dull. Nori closed his eyes tight, trying to hold on. That only brought more pain back to him. His whole body shuddered and shook until he slowly began to relax. Soon everything faded and became dark and calm.


	2. Dwalin's Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin finally captures the criminal he had been following, but at a small price.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! I just came back from a long vacation, so I would really like to try to buckle down and write this. I think I have a lot of good ideas for it and really want to continue it. Please enjoy it and if there's any mistakes or you have any comments or questions, I'd love to hear them!

He'd be slowing down, out of breath, if he wasn't high on adrenaline. A jeweler from the west cavern had just been robbed by a thief that had been evading the Kingdom's Guard for a month now. The thief would masquerade as a noble man, picking out engagement beads and rings and bracelets for his One, and when there were a sizable collection out, taking them and taking off. 

Most jewelers were more than smart enough to only show one item at a time, so he would wait for an opportune time to go when the shops were left to the new apprentices to run while their masters were off. When the master of the shop left, the thief would enter and overwhelm the young, naive apprentice, speeding up his talking and his excitement. The apprentice would take out more pieces to please him, eager to sell his or her master’s work, and when they least expected it, the thief grabbed the items and ran.

Dwalin was having none of it. He had stolen from three jewelers' shops. Dwalin would be putting an end to it now.

Dwalin had been camping out jewelry shops and it didn't take him long to find one being spied on day after day. The same dwarf would come to the little coffee shop across from the jeweler's shop, bringing a few books and scrolls, seeming to be doing work. Instead, Dwalin was sure every time the dwarf glanced up, he was waiting to watch for the jeweler to leave the shop, probably to go to the forge for more materials, and leaving the apprentice or apprentices alone.

This, of course, was not enough evidence to bring the dwarrow in. He would have to be caught in the act. Dwalin had made sure to do some research and find out who this dwarf was, he hadn’t wanted to cast suspicion wrongly on anyone. Luckily, the guard had found a connection, the dwarf worked across from the first jewelry shop robbed. The only reason this dwarf wasn’t on a list of suspects and interviewed was because he had been fired a week and a half before the robbery, or else he might have been caught sooner. The owner of the shop Dwalin’s suspect had worked at gave the dwarf a one week warning, giving the suspect more than enough time to plan what he would think to do next for money. Dwalin was more than sure that the answer to that was thieving. 

He fully believed he had the correct dwarf. He just had to wait. 

It wasn’t a long wait, three days, and the dwarf had begun his scam on the apprentice of the shop. Dwalin had made sure to make both the master and apprentice aware of his suspicion that they would be hit next, as well as his father, Fundin, the Captain of the Guard. 

Fundin agreed to pay for anything that was broken or taken in the thief's raid if they failed or anything got ruined in the impending chase. Since the apprentice was in on what was becoming a ‘set up’ for the criminal, they could make sure to keep an inventory of what he took out in his head and write it down when the thief ran with whatever items he could steal.

Dwalin felt a burst of energy and eagerness to go forth and capture the dwarf when he finally saw the thief dressed richly, probably in some of the stolen items, approaching the shop and the cases of fine jewelry, carefully selected and placed outside for viewing, to catch a passing dwarrows’ eyes. His toes and legs twitched, he’d be right behind the thief when he would turn to run, after a minute he’d begin to walk over he had decided. 

Unfortunately, as he was going to get behind the criminal, an apprentice, from one of the other robbed shops, screamed at the top of his lungs, “THIEF!” The jeweler’s apprentice had probably had been doing the same thing as Dwalin, watching other jewelry shops and looking for the dwarf who robbed them. 

The young apprentice went running towards the criminal, being much closer than Dwalin was. He was also smaller than the thieving dwarf, and the dwarf punched him, grabbed the pieces off the counter he could, and went running off.

Dwalin cursed mentally as he took off after the thief. “STOP, THIEF!” Dwalin yelled. Honestly, he didn’t know why he still yelled that, it’s not like anyone ever actually listened and stopped. It only let the criminal know he was being followed, and then they would find the most treacherous, dwarrow-filled path to run through to try and escape.

It had been a long chase, through alleys and vendors’ shops. More guards had joined his chase and finally, Dwalin was catching up after some reckless maneuvers over walls and under and around pony-drawn carts. This one had been fast. He could feel a tingle of success through his body. He was so close.

Dwalin jumped when he was close enough. He saw the crowd clearing, and the criminal in sight. In an instant his hands were on the thief’s shoulders and down they would go crashing...right into a dwarrow on the street. 

It was too late to stop as they all crashed into the ground, and Dwalin’s stomach felt as though it was filled with stones. He cringed as he heard a blood-curdling scream from the innocent dwarf they had crashed straight into. Other guards were able to catch up now that the chase was over and Dwalin quickly stood and pulled the thief he had caught up with him quickly. Any satisfaction he could have had from the catch was gone when he saw the dwarrow bleeding from his arm, where it was scrapped from hitting the ground, and nose, where he guessed the criminal had hit into him. His arm was sticking the wrong way at the elbow, and part of the bone was definitely pressing up against the skin, not where it should not have been. 

Sweet Mahal, he had never meant to do this. He threw his criminal towards the other guards, who of course knew how to handle him while he crouched down over the hurt dwarf.

Dwalin had never hurt any dwarrow who didn’t deserve it. His hands got clammy and he could practically feel his face turning cold and white as he stared at the slender dwarf, knocked out on the ground below. His ears grew hot and red as he read the bystanders around him chattering. He really hadn’t meant to do this, but now, he felt criminal from this act of violence towards an unarmed, innocent dwarf.

The redhead on the ground was oddly slender for a dwarf. Maybe he was a she? No, his features were too sharp, and he wore masculine braids. No matter what, he knew for sure the dwarf was very,very beautiful and would be very, very angry when he woke up and found a rough, brawny dwarf like Dwalin had hurt him. 

He felt like his stomach was sinking lower as he carefully picked up the dwarf on the ground. This was his fault. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed heavily as more guilt washed over him. “I’m bringing this civilian to the medical wing in the palace.” He told his fellow guardsmen standing around, watching him. Since he was the son of the Captain of the Guards, it gave him some standing among them. When he spoke, others followed his orders. “Write a report on the jewelry thief, Rhyhor, hand it in to my father. Feel free to include this incident.” 

A guard with dark skin and hair nodded. “Let’s take him in.” Rhyhor said to the other guards as they nodded and followed him away, pulling along the dazed, caught thief, as Dwalin turned towards the palace and hurried off, carefully carrying the dwarrow he had harmed.

Normally, most citizens of Erebor, wouldn’t get the special treatment of going to the palace directly for medical treatment, unless they worked in the palace, or were a Lord or Lady, but Dwalin felt responsible fully for the fragile dwarf he now carried. His cousin, Oin, was the Master Healer who ran the palace’s medical wing, and that meant he and his family could use it. It also helped to be a descendant of the line of Durin and allied closely with the royal family. He was sure his Prince, Thorin, would insist upon him using it, even if he wasn't allowed.

Dwalin asked a few of the healers for Oin and he was directed to a room to lay down the redhead on a cot and wait for Oin. 

Dwalin was able to get a better look at the dwarf he had hit while he waited. He had little freckles sprinkling his skin, and fingers as slender and delicate as his body. The guard gently held one of his tiny, soft hands and stroked his fingers as he continued looking over the tiny dwarf. His features were sharper and more defined than he had realized, even with a bloodied nose, they looked practically hand-chiseled by Mahal himself. Dwalin looked back up at his hair. It looked long, silky, and soft, and the braids were art themselves. He imagined what it would be like to touch it, and run his hands through it while it was straight. 

He drew his hand back when he realized his hand inching towards the hair of the passed-out dwarf. Dwalin put his hand down when he realized he still held it with his other. This was wrong, he had done this, hurt this dwarf. He shouldn’t he touching him like this while he had no consent, Dwalin knew he knew better. Besides, this dwarf would _hate_ him, and wholeheartedly no doubt, when he found what had happened on the streets. Dwalin scowled, wait, when had he been smiling at the hurt dwarf? That wasn’t right, this wasn’t right. 

The guard took a seat beside the cot. He sighed and put his hands in his head, waiting for Oin and keeping himself away from the redhead that he found himself wanting to touch. He had more self control, he knew he did.

He could nearly kiss his cousin when Oin entered and broke his thoughts. “Oin! Thank Mahal you’re here.”

“Of course I’m here, I do run the medical wing, after all.” Oin replied snarkily. “Oi?! What happened with this one?” The healer asked as he came close and began to check Nori out.

“I hurt him…” Dwalin replied in a low voice. 

Oin rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t hurt a fly purposefully if it didn’t rob a bank. Give me the full story.” 

While Oin touched and checked the dwarf’s arm gently, Dwalin recounted what happened in the market place.

“Well cousin, you aren’t much of a story teller. You’ll have to work on that. Also, I wouldn’t blame myself if I were you, this was an accident, and it seems like this arm was already broken, I can feel where it was almost healed, and where the new break jets out a tiny bit from it. I’ll fix him up nice and good. Relax.” Oin ordered. He went out and brought in bandages. “If you still feel bad and want to help, go grab a warm wet cloth, and dab the dried blood under his nose away.”

Dwalin went to go do as he was told but stopped for a moment at the door. “Will he…..be okay…?” Dwalin asked softly. 

“Of course, nothing a bit of time won’t heal again. He’ll be good as new in no time.” Oin said as he waved him away.

Dwalin sighed in a bit of relief as he went to find a warm, wet cloth. That was good, at least nothing he did was permanent. Now he just had to wait for the beautiful dwarf to wake up and go ballistic on him for re-breaking his arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I love comments and questions so feel free to use the comment section below!


	3. Dori's Struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dori learns his brother got hurt, his plan for everything to go right, wasn't going so well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Dori's turn to have his point of view told! Along with a small mixed assortment at the end.
> 
> I really think I love writing for Dori....please enjoy!

Dori cringed as another newly unwrapped plate, cracked in his hands. He gave a hard, deep sigh and tossed it in the trash bin he had pulled closer to himself a bit earlier. Unpacking wasn’t going so well. His fingers twitched as he reached towards another wrapped plate in the crate he had taken from their closet. They needed some more of their extra emergency dishes because he had broke most of their good ones when he began unpacking their things earlier with Nori. 

It was extremely frustrating, because his strength was starting to change as his father’s did at this age. Normally, he could have a nice firm grip on a plate. He never had issues before, in fact, he and his mother had thought he had already inherited his father’s strength much earlier, always able to lift more weight and perform strenuous tasks much more easily than other adult dwarfs, even when he was as young as fifty. 

He and his mother were quite wrong.

He had trouble in his old tea shop, not breaking things as he packed for this trip. The move to Erebor was sudden, over night, and he had to pack all he could as quickly as he could. Packing barrels of tea was easy, but his plates and fine china ware, not at all. He lost a lot of good product, all his own fault, because he was still getting used to this type of strength. He had wished he could have asked his brother’s and mother’s help, but with his brother’s newly broke arm, the reason they had been packing and running away from Ered Luin, and his mother pregnant, and not faring well at all, packing his shop up, was up to him. 

About six months ago, it kicked in. The strength was new and felt oddly unnatural to had came so quickly. He found he had it when he was chasting Nori while their mother knitted a baby blanket, newly finding out she was pregnant. She had been overwhelmed and a bit tired from learning that she wasn’t going through menopause, as she thought she was, but instead, her body was preparing her a new child. No one was upset about the baby, it would be fully loved, but with another mouth to feed and they weren’t sure how they would do it. Nori, of course, thought the best idea would be to break in the house of a noble…

_“Did you know how hard it was to get Kida to let you out!? I felt disgusting using the coin and jewels you stole to bail you out-- no, not bail, bribe! Bribe him to let you out. He didn’t want **just** the money, he want t-to…..” Dori shuddered. “To **touch** my braids. He **played** with them Nori, in that dirty jail!”_

_Their mother simply watched, obviously stressed out by their fight, but knowing her own intervention wouldn’t help. It never helped when she tried to stop her eldest son, because then Nori would think she was alright with what he had done, and she certainly wasn't. Sometimes, Dori just needed to yell, and most the time, it worked for a while, as long as Vikis wasn’t around Nori, Nori would behave better._

_“Dori, I’m sorry! You didn’t need to let Kida do that! He would have just taken the money and let me out if you were sterner with him!” Nori looked upset. Dori figured Nori was guilty he had got caught, that he was upset with him, and what he had to let Kida do, but wasn’t guilty that he had broke into the noble’s home. “I’ll be more careful next time, promise, I didn’t stake it out long enough to know they had private live-in gaurds.”_

_“Don’t say that! I don’t want you to be more careful, I want you not to do it! I want you to stay in the weaver’s guild and weave! You’re so close to your mastery! Don’t ruin it by getting blacklisted and thrown out! With my shop and a master weaver, we don’t need a thief to be able to feed the little one!” Dori was only becoming more upset. Didn’t Nori know with the commissions he could do for nobles, Nori could help with their money issues greatly? Of course, at first the guild would take dues and money from each commission he did but eventually if Nori created a name for himself, he would be able to do it independently and they could really support themselves._

_“I don’t want that life! I could make a better living for us stealing!” Nori had screamed back._

_Dori wanted to yell back, but instead he was steaming angry, and raised his hand to his brother. It was meant to be a somewhat hard, firm smack to the side of the head, nothing that left even a tiny bruise on Nori’s head, but it was nothing their mother would approve of._

_Their mother’s eyes widened and she gasped at Dori raising a hand, because he should know much better. Dori’s eyes widened when instead of a little movement when he hit Nori, Nori went flying. He flew across the room and into the table, hitting it in his side and crumpling to the floor._

_“Nori!” Dori and his mother both screamed._

_Dori hadn’t meant that, he never meant to actually hurt Nori. He should have never hit him, he knew better. Watching Vikis harm and hit his mother and himself when he was younger, then the bruises Nori had when he came home with now from a day with his sire. He knew how much worse the emotional pain was than the physical pain, he should have never raised a hand to him, even without the extra strength._

_He and his mother had been to Nori’s side in almost a second. Nori groaned and Dori helped him sit up. “I’m so sorry, Nori, Nori are you okay? Nori…” Then he saw the big lump on the side of Nori’s head, his little brother’s hair had messed up a bit where Dori had hit him. “Nori….” He whispered as his anger drained from him._

_Nori’s lips parted as if he were going to speak, as he looked at Dori, then his hand slowly came up and touched the bump. Nori’s eyes cast downward as the sides of his lips fell as well. He glanced up at Dori for a second as tears began to form in his eyes and down his eyes fell again._

_“Nori, I’m so sorry!” Dori’s heart felt broken with the look Nori had gave him, and he knew that the look he was given, was all his fault. He pulled Nori into a tight hug, then loosened his grip when he realized what strength he had, what he was doing and had done. “I never meant it. Oh Mahal, please, I never meant it, Nori, I love you so much, little brother.”_

_Mari, their mother, held both her sons tightly. They stayed like that for a long time, the whole time Dori whispering apologies and begging forgiveness, before finally heading to bed._

_Dori tucked Nori in, tightly, and kissed his head that night. He rubbed Nori’s cheek with his thumb gently and swore never to lay hand on him again, and he hadn’t since._

Dori blinked and was brought back from his memory by the breaking of another plate in his hands he had absentmindedly picked up. “Darn it…” He whispered.

He tossed it into the bin along with the last one and got up. It was enough of unpacking things now that he was upset. He figured he’d only break more plates in his current mood. 

Dori decided to take a walk around the small house two story house. It was much smaller than their old home, there were two bedrooms, a storage closet, and a bathroom upstairs, meaning now Dori and Nori would have to share a room. He didn’t mind that, both he and Nori were pretty clean, mostly because they didn’t have many items to throw around their bedrooms in the first place, and back in Ered Luin, he and Nori would sometimes share a bed. On cold, or windy and rainy nights when their old house leaked and creaked, they would sleep together closely to chase away their fears and take comfort in knowing their brother was there for them, even despite their fighting. 

Dori went upstairs and peeked at his mother sleeping in her own room. Rest was good, if his mother was sleeping it meant she was relaxed and not worried about either of her sons. It meant she was feeling safe in their new home. It made Dori smile a bit. 

He was so happy he got this house. When they were on the road with the caravan they had ran to that fateful night, Dori was quick to write to a noble who he knew fancied him. The noble flirted with him heavily, and although Dori thought him disgusting vulgar and very boring, he didn’t mind the generous donation of products to his shop and heavy tip in his coin jar in the counter every time the dwarf came in. 

He found one last use for the noble. He came up with a sob story about the events, romanticising their family and making their situation sound dire, which it was, but a bit more like it would sound in a tragic love story you’d pick up from a library. He made sure the noble knew he’d just simply be ‘his hero’ if he could help him sell the shop and house they had back in Ered Luin and get money to buy a home in Erebor. The noble had done better, paying a dwarf in Erebor immediately, through the noble’s family members for this small two story home, putting it in Dori’s name so the noble could never take it from him, and taking the little house and shop from Dori and his mother, in return. This home might have been a bit smaller than their old house, but it was definitely worth more. It was in a very clean area of Erebor, and there was real plumbing leading up to the bathroom upstairs. They could take hot baths without pumping water outside and having to boil it, a luxury none of the Ri family ever had. 

Dori was pleased and went back downstairs. Downstairs they had a sitting room and then a kitchen and table in the room next to it. Two doors, one in the sitting room, and one in the kitchen, both led into the little shop he would stock and open. It already had a glass counter in it and shelves where he could make little displays and show off his fine dishes, teacups, and teapots….the ones that survived his strength that is. He really had to work on that. 

The small shop used to belong to a grocer and his wife who moved to the Iron Hills to be with family. They had personally wrote to Dori and told him, while he was on the road, that he was in an excellent location for his shop and that they were already telling customers that the tea shop would be moving in and many of their customers were very excited.

For the first time, in a long time, Dori felt hope. This was a good new start for him and his brother. He was sure his mother would to start to feel better with the pregnancy and he was positive her stress levels would go down when she saw how well this would go. Nori would help him set up the store because his arm was nearly healed, they’d laugh and be merry. Dori rubbed the sheets, gently, that were over the big windows in front of the shop. 

“Nori and I will clean and set up displays with the gold tea set right in front of this window.” He felt warmth rise in his chest. He could see his brother and himself each tearing down one of the sheets and opening the double glass doors for the first time. They’d work hard, and soon they’d have enough money to be able to send Nori back to the weaver’s guild here in Erebor. His brother was the best at mixing inks and dyes and could weave perfectly. They would be able to turn the sitting room into a workshop especially for him with whatever he needed and they’d be able to live at home close to their mother and the baby.

Dori began to grin for the first time in what felt like forever. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this happy. He hurried outside the shop. They had flowers in two long rectangular flower pots under each of the big windows. He could see Nori and himself changing the daisies in them for lilacs, lavender, just like their family color. They’d grow closer as brothers, Nori’s thievery would be able to stop very easily now he didn’t have to fear Vikis, and they’d be the happy, loving family, he always dreamed they’d become. No more sad memories, no more hitting or abuse, no more crying. Finally, they could have everything he had always secretly dreamed for!

All of his hope and dreams began to fly away like dust in the wind when he caught the next few words come from passersby’s mouths. ‘Redhead.’ ‘Jewelry thief.’ It was nearing lunch. Nori should have been home by now. No. No Nori, only one thing was begged of you, to behave. How could he do that to him and their mother. 

Dori turned and looked at the two dwarfs behind him a little ways, talking. “A redheaded thief, you say, sir?” Dori asked loudly.

“Oh, hello!” The Erebor Dwarf greeted. Dwarfs seemed kinder in Erebor...at least this part of Erebor. “No, not a redheaded thief, a jewelry thief ran into a redheaded stranger. The son of the Captain of the Guards, too. There was a pretty dwarf just walking down the street, in an odd purple tunic, I mean it was only odd because he definitely identified masculine because of his braids, minding his own business, when a jewelry thief who had been at large for….hmm...about a month and a half I think, came barreling through the street. The son of the Captain of the Guard was right on his tail, and jumped at him, and both of ‘em hit straight into that pretty redhead! Poor dwarf got knocked out immediately!” The dwarf was very animated while telling his story.

“His arm was all twisted!” The second dwarf added enthusiastically. “Bleeding a bit, too, I think. I never saw the Captain’s son be so careful when he picked up the pretty hurt one and go running.”

“Running to the medical wing in the healers guild?” Dori asked quickly. He had to find Nori, he had no doubt it was Nori who got hurt.

“No, he went the other way, straight to the palace! Lucky dwarf, I’d say. Has a bunch of nobs tending to him.” 

“Ah, what a story, how lucky.” Dori smiled brightly and seemed calm as he went back to his store and home. On the inside, he was screaming. 

What was he supposed to do? How does someone like him even get into the palace? He took a deep breath. Maybe they would be sensible and he’d be able to get to his little brother without trouble. He knew the palace was guarded, but he didn’t know how it worked in Erebor. He took another breath and went into the house part of their home and went into the kitchen. He took another breath, he would take everything one step at a time. He made a few honey sandwiches (he couldn’t believe the couple that lived here before them graciously left them honey as a housewarming gift, it was so expensive,) and got a glass of water. He trudged up the stairs to his mother’s room. “Amad?” He said softly as he went close to her cot. They needed to get proper beds.

“Hello, my sweet.” She replied quietly as he kneeled beside her. 

“Morning. Well...kinda morning. Its lunchtime.” He put the plate of sandwiches and glass of water on the stool next to her cot. 

“Oh, thank you.” She gestured him to come forward a little bit and kissed his forehead when he did. “Is Nori faring well?”

“He is...was...fine...don’t be upset, he went out for a walk...and some dwarfs were running around, and playing, you know how dwarflings are, so happy, and carefree. They accidently knocked into Nori and Nori fell over and may have re-broke his arm...but he’s wide awake and asked some kind dwarfs who helped him to the healer’s guild for medical attention to come seek me out. He says he’s perfectly fine, everything was an accident. He’s not in trouble.” Dori said quickly, he mostly lied to keep his mother from worrying.

Mari nodded her head slowly in understanding. “Oh Nori….my baby…” She sighed softly. “Accidents happen..I understand. I’m just glad he isn’t in trouble. Should I come with you?”

“No, no, Amad, you need your rest, and he’s fine, honest. I’ll be back in a few hours. I might have to set up some type of payment method for the medical help. He didn’t want me to tell you because he knew you’d worry, but I thought it best to let you know.” 

“Thank you, sweetie. Go get your brother. I hate that this is how we start out our new lives…” Mari looked a bit depressed as she moved around a bit in bed and held her swollen stomach. 

“No, No mother, this is just a few bumpy rocks, it won’t define our lives in Erebor, don’t be upset. Nori will come back tonight and we’ll start decorating the house and shop tomorrow morning and it will be wonderful. Life here will be wonderful, and it will be a good, healthy environment to raise the little baby in your tummy, Nori and I both promise you that.” He wanted to raise her hopes before he left. He didn’t want to be the only hopeful one. He held her hands tightly. “This is the chance we needed. We hit rock bottom, and now we’re climbing the ladder back up. Just you see, in a few days time we’ll open the shop and everything, I swear, everything, will be looking up.”

Mari softly smiled at her eldest. “You and your brother are gifts to me...maybe, this time, things will go right.” 

“They will, everything will.” Dori smiled back and kissed her hands. “I love you Amad. I’ll come back soon, with him.” And with that, and a quick kiss to her temple, Dori left for the palace.

The doors to the palace were huge. Erebor was a big mountain, with huge gates that opened. You could either go left or right to go under the palace to the huge city that was in the cavern. If you went straight, you could go to the next pair of giant doors, which Dori was now at, into the palace Throne Room.. To Dori’s surprise, the palace doors, were wide open, and anyone, even a common dwarf like him, was more than welcome to come right into the Throne Room where the new King Thrain was very busy with his advisors and other dwarfs. Dori went to some of the guards at the doors around the Throne Room, leading deeper into the palace.

“Hello there, um, I’m looking for my brother, apparently he was taken into the medical wing here by the son of the Captain of the Guards. Can I be brought to him?” Dori made sure his voice was pleasant and cheery when he spoke to them, figuring kindness would go a lot further than any anger or rudeness, and get him to Nori faster.

One of the guards snorted. “You and seventeen other dwarfs. Sorry, beautiful, no one gets in. First guy claiming it went in and tried feeling the pretty one up since he’s out like a light. Our Captain’s son knocked him out, so honestly the protection is for you as much as it is for sleeping beauty.” 

Dori’s jaw drop. Someone had touched his brother, without consent, and that severely upset him. He huffed and sucked in a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Listen here, all those other dwarfs, I promise, were liars, but the dwarf you have in there, is my little brother, Nori, and I’m worried about him. He had a broken arm before, and we just got to Erebor, he's new to Erebor and might wake up scared without me. You can stay with me until he wakes, and he’ll tell you!”

“Hmm, maybe, for a price.” The other guard smirked and looked at his companion. “There’s a closet not far into this hallway, and maybe you can ‘convince’ us, one at a time to let us let you in. I’m sure you’d be real good at ‘persuading’ with your mouth when we’re each alone with you.” His companion smirked back.

Dori gasped, appalled. “That’s enough! I want to see my brother! NOW!” Dori screamed, making quite a few dwarfs, even King Thrain look over at Dori. Dori felt his face and ears redden in a blush. “I just want to be with my brother.” He said quietly. He realised how tightly he had his fists clenched and slowly unclenched them when he felt his nails painfully digging into his palms. “Please.” He whispered, helplessly, sure he’d be thrown out of the palace, maybe even pulled away to a cell to sit for a while for drawing even the King’s gaze his way. He was scared for himself as much as he was for Nori now.

One of the guards began to reach for him and he knew he was in trouble. 

Everyone still stared, especially one dwarf who couldn’t help but smile a bit and laugh to himself at another dwarf desperately trying to get to the little redhead his brother was protecting, although this one seemed more determined, and beautiful. He wondered why a beautiful dwarf would want to try to get to the dwarf who was knocked out? He looked like he could have anyone he wanted. Then again, this one looked more like the dwarf they had in the medical wing. “I’ll take care of this, your highness. Get back to business, please.” 

Thrain nodded. “Alright, very good, Balin.”

“Of course, sir.” Balin winked at the King and went off, away from the throne, stopping the guard closing in on Dori with a wave of his hand. Normal chatter among the Throne Room resumed.

Dori’s eyes were shut tight, fearful of the guard when Balin gently took his hand and brought it to himself. Dori opened an eye and looked at the dwarf in front of him. “Balin, advisor in training to the King of Erebor.” He kissed Dori’s hand gently. “At your service. What can I do for you?”

Dori pulled his hand back a bit and crossed his arms, face deadpanned, tired of another dwarf coming to flirt with him, but he made the guard stop so he couldn’t complain. It also probably wasn’t a good idea to anger an advisor to the king, they practically helped rule the kingdom. He needed whatever chance he could get to get to Nori, so instead he let his face drop with the sadness he felt. “Please, my name is Dori, I think my brother Nori was the one hurt by that stupid guardsman and thief, his arm was already broken not too long ago and I think this probably made it worse. All I want is to see him, i’m begging you, you can even stay with me, watch me, I don’t care. Please let me see my baby brother, do you have any kindness in your heart?”

Balin pursed his lips when his brother was called stupid, but he supposed he couldn’t blame Dori, the dwarf was distraught, trying his hardest to see the dwarf he claimed to be related to, and by the look of the guards now, looking away from him, treated wrongly. He’d speak to his father about the ones watching the palace doors later. 

Balin hummed when Dori finished. Balin had personally talked to Oin, and that went along with what he had said about the mystery dwarf’s arm. That it had definitely been broken before and re-broke when Dwalin and the criminal ended up knocking into him. He decided to believe Dori and lead him to the one who might very well be Nori. 

He held out his arm to Dori so he could take it. “Right this way, Dori.” 

Dori put a hand up. “Please, just….just show me, I’m uncomfortable touching….” He winced, hoping that didn’t ruin his chance.

Balin nodded and dropped his arm. Most dwarrows would jump to take his arm, being son of the great warrior Fundin, distantly related to the King under the Mountain, and future advisor to the future King Thorin. Of course, it seemed Dori only probably knew about the advisor part, but that alone still had others jumping to his beck and call. 

Balin gave him a nod, and half a grin. He understood this dwarf, proper and full of concern, but not willing to give himself up to give what he wanted. Probably very calm and collected, and only had the small outburst cause of the guards taunting him. Balin enjoyed analyzing others and Dori was another easy one to figure out. “Very well, Dori.”

He began to head off into the palace and Dori was quick to follow. The quicker he got to Nori, the quicker could leave this place and get back home, safe and sound. 

Nori was beginning to stir. He yawned softly and went to rub his eyes. He let out a yelp as his eyes shot open. He winced and kept his eyes closed a bit, the glowing crystals that kept the room lit were rather bright, a very good substitution for the sun, but not good for a dwarrow beginning to wake up. He realized one of his arms was bandaged rather tightly and used the other to rub his eyes.

“Are...you alright?” Came a deep foreign voice, with a lot of hesitation. 

Nori carefully opened his eyes as it became a bit darker. He looked up into the eyes of a dwarf leaning over him, casting a shadow over his face. The thief looked him up and down. The dwarf over him seemed giant and muscular. He didn’t look angry or upset with Nori, that was good. He also wasn’t smirking down at him Nori like he wanted to ravish him, which he was more used to. There was no way this could be the healer who fixed his arm again though. His memory slowly came back. After what happened, being knocked into so harshly, there was no way his arm hadn’t broken again. This dwarf had axes on his back, and by the visible tattoos and that tuft of hair on his head, which was clearly a mohawk, only a bit messy and flopped forward, he could see this dwarf was clearly a warrior, but who was he? He didn’t remember this dwarf knocking into him, he remembered someone else, dressed finer. Nori hesitantly began to reach up towards him. “Hi...I’m-”

“Nori!” Came a gasp from the door.

Well, Nori meant to say he was okay, but this dwarf knowing his name was fine too. But wait. That didn’t come from the dwarf above him. Nori quickly looked towards the door. “Dori!” 

The elder Ri brother bustled into the room. “You had me so worried, little brother! Pardon me.” He said to Dwalin, the big dwarf that had been looming over Nori.

Dwalin grunted and slowly moved back. He looked over to Dori and stayed on his guard. The first one claiming to be related tried to take the mystery dwarf in his sleep. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Dori held Nori’s good hand. “What happened? Are you alright? I had to lie to mother about this so she wouldn’t worry, and you’re going with it.”

Balin chuckled as he watched. He answered before Nori could. “He’s alright, my brother here, Dwalin,” he gestured to the big muscular dwarf, “accidently hit him while catching a thief. The medical coverage is on us, we do apologize. After some quick paperwork with my cousin, Oin, he’ll be ready to take home. It’s simply formality.” Balin was excellent at solving problems, especially with upset dwarfs, and from analyzing Dori so easily, he seemed exactly like the kind of dwarf who would quietly take the assurance that everything was fine and paid for. Dwarfs always did what Balin expected, he was never wrong. Only, Dori didn’t do exactly as Balin expected.

“He did what?!” Dori’s face immediately grew dark and angered, making Balin quirk an eyebrow. He immediately turned his attention to Dwalin. “This is your fault?! How could you be so careless! He’s fragile and you broke his arm again! You’re a guardsman, you’re supposed to protect him!” Dori grabbed his wrist and begun to squeeze, hardly containing his strength he knew he couldn’t yet control. All his anger came forth at Dwalin. All of his anger that was towards the guards who he knew Nori had to exchange sex with to get out of jail and keep his name from being ruined at the weavers guild, all his anger towards the guards who never pressed to execute Vikis, Nori’s sire, and solve their family’s biggest problem over the years when the common folk wanted that murderer dead, all his anger towards the crooked men who ran Ered Luin, was directed towards Dwalin.

Dwalin was hardened at first, expectant of this treatment for what he did, but what he hadn’t expected what the very short elder Ri’s grip could do. It didn’t bother him when he was grabbed, he decided he’d let the seemingly harmless dwarf do whatever helped him to calm down, until he realized how tightly his arm was suddenly being crushed. Dwalin’s eyes widened quickly and he tried to pull away, but it was too late, he was caught in Dori’s death grip.

Dori knew Dwalin was in a lot of pain, he could it in the dwarf’s eyes, but part of him wanted to fight back, wanted to make him break just like he broke his little brother.

Balin’s eyes widened when he realized what was going on. He didn’t believe this was really happening until Nori yelled out, “DORI, STOP!” and he watched as Dori threw Dwalin across the room, into an armchair like he was as light as a feather. 

Dori looked down. He shouldn’t have done that. Mahal knows he shouldn’t have done that, now he’d be going to jail and it would be him who his mother would be so disappointed in. Dori closed his eyes tight as tears pricked his eyes. This was Dwalin’s fault, nobles got to abuse their power and do as they wished with no consequence. Oh, why did he have to overreact? Dwalin and Balin would call the guards and Nori would be stuck here in their care to have whatever they felt like doing to him, done. What if the bigger one called Dwalin decided Nori was a pretty little thing and would look good in his bed and decide to take Nori while he had a broken arm and couldn’t fight back? Dori felt the tears starting to fall. He failed his brother, he was supposed to be there for Nori. He was supposed to bring Nori back to a safe and loving home, but now…

Dwalin held his wrist to his chest for a moment, until the throbbing pain subsided. It stayed silent till then. When he let it go, he stood, thankful for the comfortable armchair he landed into. He looked at Dori and saw the tears coming from the eyes. The look Dori was giving him wasn’t one of anger now, it was of fear, like an animal he had been hunting and merely injured severely, waiting for the impending death that would come from the second strike of one of his axes. Dwalin dropped into a bow. “You’re right. I’m deeply sorry I harmed your brother. I never meant it, I thought everyone had cleared the area, and I was only trying to catch a jewelry thief. I’m sorry I upset you. I truly hope he has a speedy recovery.”

Dori simply stared at Dwalin while Balin stared as Dori. Balin wasn’t used to being wrong at all. That strength piqued his curiosity. He wasn’t too worried about Dwalin, his little brother was hardy, and it shown in his apology to Dori, that Dwalin was fine and apologetic.

Oin came in. “Oi! What was that racket? Hmm? Sleeping beauty is awake? And who's this?”

“I’m Dori, brother to Nori, who is not to be called sleeping beauty again. I’m bringing him home….after….paperwork that Balin mentioned?” Dori fixed his braids and tugged at his clothes. 

Oin nodded. “Yes, right this way.” He said as he gestured Dori to follow him out. Dori followed, with Balin following quickly, still intrigued and perplexed, but at a healthy distance from Dori.

Dwalin watched then looked at the dwarf in the bed. Nori. He had hurt a beautiful, innocent dwarf named Nori. He looked down. “I apolo-”

“Stop.” Nori immediately cut him off. “Don’t apologize.” 

Nori was slightly confused, having just woke up, but thankfully able to keep up with what happened. Dwalin was the big dwarf. It was another thief who crashed into him while running from Dwalin. Alright, that was easy enough. That meant that Dwalin was probably not one he could seduce if he ever had to steal here, which was odd. Its usually the dwarfs who looked like him who wanted to have power over Nori’s body most, and Nori definitely gave it to them...if they caught him, of course. Dwalin was probably someone he would want to avoid, but for now, it was probably best to act sweet in case he decided he wanted revenge on Dori. It was better to hold the right cards in his hands. When he saw what Dori was doing, using his strength, then throwing Dwalin across the room, he quickly thought about what he might be able to do for the bigger dwarf to avoid Dori being hurt or thrown into the jails of Erebor. He didn’t understand why Dori even did that. He would have to ask later. 

He was thankful for Dwalin’s sudden forgiveness and apology instead of throwing Dori in shackles and bringing him down to a dark, dusty cell. It meant kindness and sweet talk would work right now, and make things easy. “Come here.”

Dwalin slowly stepped forward. “Are you….as strong as him?” 

Nori gave a little laugh. “No...no I don’t have that kind of power. You brought me here?” He fluttered his eyelids sweetly, playing the part. Honestly, he was a bit annoyed his arm was broken again. 

Dwalin nodded. “Yes, I wanted to make sure you’d be okay.” 

“Thank you.” Nori smiled up at him and gently reached out and took Dwalin’s hand that Dori had gripped by the wrist and gave the wrist a light kiss. “I’m sorry if he hurt you, he didn't mean it, he was worried about me. But, nice catch with the thief.” He then used the same hand, after putting Dwalin’s under his broken arm, pulled Dwalin down by the collar of his green tunic, lightly, and kissed the bigger dwarf’s cheek. 

Dwalin froze. The dwarf, he had accidentally harmed was giving him a kiss on the cheek instead of being upset. His words were kind and his tone was soft. Does this mean Nori had forgiven him for his transgressions? His chest and face felt warm and he could feel his heart beat clearly. Nori’s fingers of his broken hand were soft against his wrist, and he could feel a small tingle where they touched. When the hand that had pulled him went up to caress his other cheek, he pressed into the warm touch. He was content to stay right where he was until he heard footsteps and a call from Dori. He quickly pulled back away from Nori, making Nori cringe when his broken arm was lightly hit.

“Nori! Time to go.” Dori said as the trio that had left, reentered. 

Nori nodded and continued to smile. “Goodbye.” He said to no one in particular as he quickly went with Dori, who wrapped an arm around his waist as as fast as he could, led him out. 

Balin and Dwalin both headed into the hall to watch the Ri brothers leave. 

Balin stared at the back of Dori in wonderment. “....He didn’t behave the way I thought he would….he doesn’t fit in any one of my categories…” The elder brother murmured. “I thought that maybe he simply had a short temper, but it changed to….sorrow? Guilt? Worry? Something like that...just...so quickly.” 

“.....He said my catch was nice…” Dwalin gently touched his fingers to his cheek where Nori had kissed him ever so gently. He watched Nori walk away, his long red hair swaying in a long braid behind him. 

Oin frowned a looked a little bit annoyed at his cousins. He began to snap his fingers. “Hey? Hey?! Get out of each of your stupors. Don’t you both have jobs to get back to?” He asked. 

“Yes, yes…in a moment.” Balin muttered.

“...I want to see him again….” Dwalin said as he looked to his older brother. 

“...They gave you an address in the paper work, right Oin?” Balin asked.

“Oh no, they did, but you’re not getting it.” The healer crossed his arms. “This is a place of business, to help hurt dwarfs, not a record keeping facility for you to use to track down your schoolgirl crushes and bother! Leave those two dwarfs well alone, if they wanted any part of either of you two, they would have said something before they ran off, and that’s that. Now if you two don’t mind, I have other patients to care for.” Oin started off, then stopped for a second. “And if you two don’t go, I’ll be forced to use extreme measures because I can’t have you two dallying in my hallway.” He continued his walk away.

Dwalin stayed quiet for a moment and looked a Balin. “So…?”

“I’ll give you their address by tonight when I see you at dinner.” Balin replied quickly.

Dwalin nodded and smiled, looking back down the hallway the way that Nori and Dori had left.

“I’m getting my scalpel!” Oin yelled from the room he was in.

Balin and Dwalin merely gave each other a worried look before hurrying off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thank you for reading! Comments, questions, and queries are always appreciated! If you want to personally message/reach me you can visit my tumblr: meleerage.tumblr.com 
> 
> Or you can email me at: kenzilalli@aol.com
> 
> Next chapter is hopefully coming soon!


	4. Back to Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ri Brothers are in a safe place but Nori can't get home fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter again. I did have more of this, but decided to push it into ch. 5. Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

Nori felt better when he and Dori turned a corner and the sensation of the nobles’ eyes burning in his back went away. The further away, the better, especially because of what Dori had done. It felt calming to have Dori’s arm around him, gently guiding him towards the way out. He leaned into Dori’s side a bit. “Thank you for being here when I woke up.” He told his brother softly. “I don’t know what I would have done when I woke up if I had been left with a guard, alone.”

“I don’t like how he was hanging over you when I came in. Son of the Captain of the Guardsmen or not, he had no right to be so close.” Dori huffed. He was upset again. Nori slipped his own hand around his brother and rubbed his back gently. “You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to get to you, Nori…”

“It was hard to get to me? Aren’t we in whatever building the healer’s guild occupies? They’re never too guarded in the medical wing, they have nothing too valuable to steal in there until they bring anything over from the other wings to help whatever patients they have. Ointments and drugs, things people can sell for a high price in small quantities.” Nori looked around the hallway. Now that he thought of it, the halls they were going though were deep blue with trimmings of gold, not white like a medical wing typically was. His eyes widened as he saw some of the decorations. Vases with jewels embedded in them, tapestries of battles, and paintings of important looking people littered the hallway. “....Dori, where are we?” 

“Your big guard ‘friend’ brought you...somewhere else.” Dori sounded disgusted when he called the big dwarf named Dwalin his friend. “Honestly, I don’t know why he brought you here, of all places. How did he think your family would get to you?”

It took Nori a moment to figure out where they were and try to stop walking. “Are we in the palace?” Nori gasped. No one got into the Palace of Erebor, no thief, no commoner, noone. 

Dori pulled him a little bit to keep him walking. “Don’t stop, we aren’t staying. I just want to leave. You aren’t coming back here.” He whispered in his brother’s ear, harshly. 

“I wouldn’t be stupid enough to try a job like this.” He murmured back. Nori had palms that itched for the gold and jewels in the palace, but he wasn’t stupid enough to dare steal here. If anything went missing from this hallway, the two nobles would be witnesses that both Ri brothers had been down this way. Not only would Nori be thrown in jail, Dori would too, and he would never, ever want to get his brother thrown in jail. 

“Can I have my sling for my arm when we get back home?” It was hurting Nori to hold the tightly bandaged arm up. He had to unwrap his arm from around Dori and support it.

“Mhmm.” Dori gave a little nod. “I’ll make you something to eat too. I had hoped to get to work on displays and setting up the shop tomorrow with you. I suppose you won’t be up to it now?”

“Well...we forgot to get something for the pain my arm will be in. Maybe distracting myself from it by helping you will be a good thing. If you can unwrap the fine dishes and tea cups, I can work on putting them together in some of the display cases the grocer couple left for us, with my good arm, of course.” Nori suggested. Dori looked like he was still a bit heated so Nori kissed his brother’s cheek. “We’ll fix it up. I can still do a bit of dusting and sweeping with my good arm.”

Dori nodded a bit more. “We need to get the shop running as soon as we can for a steady, honest source of income. We won’t last long on the bit of coins we have, maybe two weeks. It looks like I’ll need to buy more product for the store.” 

Nori looked ahead. “We’ll make it work. We always find a way.” As they approached the door back into the Throne Room, Nori felt Dori’s grip tighten around his waist. 

“Dori…?” He whispered. 

He could see the doors wide open to the room with a guard posted on each side. From where they were, the redhead could even see King Thrain on his throne. Nori was a bit confused, they were so close to leaving. All they had to do was get through the Throne Room, he could understand why Dori would tense, but any tighter, and Dori’s grip on him could leave a mark. “Dori this hurts.” He hissed lowly. “Why are you-oh…” 

Nori could now see the two posted guards looking back at them. Dori wasn’t tensing because he was nervous, Dori was tensing because he was infuriated by how they were staring at them. Nori didn’t like it either, and glared at the two guards. 

“Look who's back.” Said one of the guards from earlier.

“Hello beautiful. So you were his brother? I guess we should have known, you’re both rather...captivating.” The other guard smirked slyly at Dori. “Maybe we can make it up to the both of you.”

Nori glanced at Dori, he really hoped his brother wouldn’t throw another dwarf. With all the other dwarfs around, and the King, they would not be let go as easily as they were in the medical wing.

“We get off soon, and we’d love taking you both out for drinks. Dwarfs like the both of you shouldn’t be left alone in Erebor, we could show you both a good time. I’m sure you’d prefer that than going from arresting beauties to simply being arrested by-” The first guard was cut off by a booming voice behind them. 

“Or maybe you can leave these two good dwarfs alone, boys.” It wasn’t a suggestion, it was an order. 

Both guards turned around quickly, and obviously nervous with how they were shaking. “Sir!” They stood to attention in the glowering gaze of a gigantic dwarf. The dwarf looked rough and with a very impressive beard of dark hair. He had scars and tattoos covering every inch of his arms that were quite muscular. He probably wore the sleeveless tunic he had on just to show them off. 

“H-hello Captain, S-sir.” Stuttered one of the guards, they knew they had been caught and their Captain did not look happy. 

Fundin’s voice boomed around the Throne Room. Everyone halted in their tracks and talks for the second time today, to listen. “One of the rules, one of the most important rules, you swear to uphold when you take the oath to become a guard is to never abuse your power to control any innocent citizen of Erebor. This is the third strike, for both of you since you’ve been guards under my leadership. Rhyhor, take them both to the holding cell near my office, I will deal with them soon, and have Tak and Modius take care of guarding these doors.”

“Yes Sir.” Rhyhor nodded. He ordered around a few of the guards so the doors were at least covered until the two new guards could come cover them. Rhyhor then had the two guards that had verbally assaulted both Dori and Nori, handcuffed and dragged away.

Nori had pressed up against Dori, frightened by Fundin’s assertiveness and hardened demeanor. He was much bigger and stronger than his son, Dwalin. The fact he was missing an eye and had a patch over it did not make him look any more gentle, not helping Nori’s nerves. Dori had wrapped his other arm around Nori, possessively. He’d be lying if he said Fundin didn’t scare him as well.

As soon as Rhyhor had taken care of things for Fundin, the Throne Room went back to its regular activity as if nothing had happened and this was completely normal. Nori and Dori stayed where they were, while Fundin approached them. 

“So I’m guessing you’re the dwarf my son knocked into.” Fundin asked gruffly, his arms crossed. “....and out.”

Nori just gave a bit of a nod, too scared to say anything to the giant dwarf. He had seen Fundin a few times when he visited the guards of the Blue Mountains a few times, thankfully never while in jail or he was sure that the Captain of the Guard would recognize him better.

Fundin nodded back. “I apologize for my son’s action.”

“I-it’s okay, the thief would have ran right into me either way…” Nori said in a small voice.

“Perhaps, but we try not to involve civilians, it is our duty to protect you. I also apologize for the treatment my guards gave the both of you. Are you his elder brother?” Fundin asked Dori.

“Ah, yes.” Dori replied, in an equally small voice as Nori. He dropped his arm around Nori’s front down. Nori only pushed against Dori more, to get closer to his brother, as if he wanted to hide. “They were very rude while I was coming in, and now, while we were trying to leave.” He said a bit louder, in a more calm voice. Dori decided he was comfortable after evaluating that Fundin wasn’t trying to do anything to outwardly harm or use either Ri brother. In fact, the apologizing on behalf of them was much nicer treatment than he expected from such a rough-looking dwarf.

“Could you tell me what they said to you? I intend to strip their positions from them, and although I already have reason, I would like to know to the full extent of their conduct so I can properly punish them as they should be. Knowing about how far they went or what they said helps me judge them fairly.” Fundin gave the Ri brothers a friendly smile after realizing Nori looked like a terrified piglet, hiding against its mother.

“Well, I had hoped to get my little brother home as soon as possible first, it's been a rough day. We just came into Erebor by caravan three days ago. Unpacking and cleaning the new house and shop is a bit stressful, and we’re both a little tired after what happened to him today…” Dori would have stuck around and made his complaints heard if Nori wouldn’t have minded waiting to leave, but the way Nori was curling into him gave him a clear answer. “I’m sorry, I’d stay and tell you, but my brother is read to go.”

“May I walk the both of you home then? That way we can continue to chat and get him home to rest soon.” Fundin asked. 

“I think that would be perfectly fine, mister...hm...You’re the Captain of the Guard, but I’m afraid I don’t know your name…” Dori couldn’t remember if they had been told or not, he had one goal today, safely get Nori back home.

“I am Lord Fundin, Captain of the Guardsmen of Erebor. My younger son, Dwalin was the one who knocked into your brother, and I have an elder son, Balin, who should have been with the King today…” He looked back over to the King’s Throne.

“Balin brought me to Nori, I couldn’t have otherwise been able to see him. You’re youngest didn’t make it easy for me to simply walk to wherever my brother was getting medical assistance. I think they are both still back in the medical wing.” 

“Can we go home now?” Nori whispered in Dori’s ear.

Dori nodded. “We’re going, we’re going.” 

Nori stayed close to Dori while his brother spoke to the old warrior on the way back to their little two story home. He knew he had nothing to fear right now, but the things he heard about the Captain of the Guard here in Erebor, unnerved him. Fundin was harsh on criminals, he didn’t excessively torture, like some, but he did run a tight, dark jail with an iron fist. If you were in his jail, there was no escape, and he would rough a dwarf up for information. Nori decided to take a silent pledge to not steal, at least not a lot, nothing too risky. He didn’t want to meet Fundin on bad terms, actually, he didn’t want to meet Fundin ever again. He was pretty sure his sire, Vikis, was the one who took Fundin’s left eye out, and he didn’t want to know how the big warrior would react to finding that out.

“Can I have the key?” Nori interrupted softly when they had finally made it to their new, little home.. 

Dori had been deep into a conversation with Fundin about the guards at the door, and then after that, had switched to conversing about the store he was opening. “So I think we might brew the tea as well as package and sell it and some of the tea sets we have-oh, right, one moment Nori.”

Dori patted himself for a key. “....I don’t have the key...I never locked the door.” He said a bit horrified realization of what he had done.

“You didn’t lock it?” Nori hissed. “Mother is in there, alone. What if someone went in?”

“Why would anyone go in who didn’t live or belong here? Unless they heard cries of help of course…” Fundin asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, I mean, there are thieves...and…” Nori just let his words hang as he looked uncomfortable. He didn’t want to talk to Fundin, he didn’t want him to even remember him.

Nori tugged on his shirt sleeve of his bad arm and hurriedly went inside.

“Where did you say you were from again, lad?” The Captain asked as he looked back toward Dori. 

“Blue Mountains, sir….I’m sorry, I have to go.” Dori said quickly as he headed towards the front door after Nori.

“I understand. Also, you may just want to open a cafe with your plans for your shop.”

Dori stopped for a moment. “That’s actually a good idea, maybe i’ll think about that direction. Thank you, Lord Fundin, for getting us home safely.” 

Fundin simply nodded as Dori finally slipped inside. The Captain of the Guard left, thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments, questions, and queries are very much appreciated! If you want to talk to my directly you can contact me at kenzilalli@aol.com or at my tumblr meleerage.tumblr.com


	5. Fundin's Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sons of Fundin want to visit the Brothers Ri, but aren't sure how to go about it. Fundin thinks about the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

“So in short, brother, you didn’t learn anything.” Dwalin was resting in an armchair in their sitting room, facing his brother in the chair across from him. There was a tray of tea and cookies between them on a small table. He rested his head on his arm that leaned against the arm of his comfy chair as he gave his brother an amused look. “Because you didn’t, honestly, when we actually get to the point.”

“I did too!” Balin replied, flustered. He gripped the arms of his chair tightly, obviously irritated. “I went and looked at the records of all the dwarfs living in Erebor this afternoon and there are no brothers who are Dori and Nori together. There’s names close but never related.”

“Meaning you didn’t learn a thing about them.” Dwalin insisted. 

Balin looked exhausted, he’d been trying to explain the same thing to Dwalin for a half hour now. “It means they aren’t from here, probably new. I just need to find out which caravans came in recently. They’re probably still with them at whatever inn they’re in.”

“Oin said they had an address. They wouldn’t have an address if they were at an inn. I think we’re better off pestering Oin for the medical record Dori filled out when they left.” Dwalin said as he reached for another cookie off the tray between the both of them.

His hand was quickly slapped with a wooden spoon. “Uh-uh, you’ve had enough, Dwalin.” Said a stout little dwarrowdam. 

“Just one more, Ami." Dwalin protested.

“No. I just finished making dinner, and as soon as your Da gets home, I’m leaving.” The dwarf called Ami told him.

Ami was the nursemaid, and best friend to Fundin's wife, who watched Balin and Dwalin ever since they were young. Even though they were now, for the most part, grown dwarfs, Fundin still employed her. Her real name was Amiella, but it was shortened by Dwalin to make it easier to say when he had gotten his front baby teeth knocked out in a fight when he was twenty. It had helped to have a lady in the house to help him raise his boys and keep his home clean after their mother had returned to the stone. Throughout her employment, she had practically became part of the family. They had tried to live without her. She and her husband had left for Iron Hills to live with her husband’s family. After a week of Balin’s cooking disasters and Dwalin breaking everything he tried to clean, including the dining room table which ended up in three pieces by the time he was finished with it, Fundin was paying their trip back to Erebor, a new, bigger house for the couple, and tripling Ami's pay. Life was better with Ami. 

"He's late. Go home, Ami. I'll make sure Dwalin stops grabbing cookies until after dinner." Balin smiled at her.

"Oh no, I'm making sure your father is here to watch the both of you. Neither of you are acting like saints, and I want your father to know what the both of you are up to.” She went back towards the kitchen to put the wooden spoon back. 

“We aren’t up to anything.” Balin replied as he rested back into his chair, cooly. He wouldn’t admit that trying to find the brothers they had met was becoming a bit obsessive.

Ami came back with a cloth to clean up the room a bit while they waited for Fundin to return. She shook her head at Balin as she cleaned an old vase. “Yes, you are. You’re trying to find two dwarfs who may not even want to be found. Brothers. I’ve been listening to enough of yours and Dwalin’s conversation to figure that much out. If this Dori and Nori wanted to get to know the both of you, they would have offered their address or made a plan to go out to a restaurant or cafe.”

“I think Dori was just too fussed about his little brother’s injury to think about wanting to make friends.” Balin told her.

“And I want to see Nori again, he wasn’t even upset I hit him. I want to make it up to him. I didn’t get to do anything for him before Dori pulled him away. I broke his arm. You always say make amends with dwarfs you wrong.” Dwalin continued to frown, he looked more guilty than anything.

Ami sighed and smiled gently at Dwalin. “Guilted heart, you’re a gentle giant, my little Dwalin.” She looked back at Balin. “What’s your excuse?”

Balin didn’t look her in the eye, turning his head a bit so he was instead looking at the tea and cookies between himself and his brother. “He interests me.”

“He has a crush.” Dwalin corrected.

“I do not!” Balin immediately snapped, his eyes turned up as he glared at his brother. “He interests me, and that’s it. He acted out of place for the type of person he is. I want to learn more, especially more about that strength he has.”

“A crush is fine to have, Balin, but don’t go around stalking and bothering dwarfs because you want to interrogate and analyze him. That’s unkind to him.” Ami scolded him. 

“It will be fine, I’ll be fine, he’ll be fine. I’ll learn what I want and then I’ll stop bothering him.” The elder brother insisted.

“And what if he doesn’t want you to stop bothering him, and ends up like that nice noble girl who was enamoured with you for two years because her bipolar mother interested you? Remember using her to get to her home and breaking her heart when your curiosity was satisfied?” Ami asked, a bit annoyed and determined to make Balin see the error of his ways.

“I can’t help I never realised it. Her mother was extremely interesting and she always loved to have me and her daughter together for tea. I was quite obvious in my intention, that my interest was in her mother.” Balin defended. “Besides, we can’t be Ones if I felt nothing for her. I’m slightly upset I had to end conversation between her mother and myself because she kept making inquires to my father about marriage.”

Ami inhaled heavily through her nose, trying to be patient with him. “And the young lord from the Iron Hills you led around Erebor? He interested you because of how his eating habits differed significantly from those of a regular Ereborian and Iron Hills Lord until you found out he had been at sea for twenty years of his young life. He cared for you so deeply. He wanted you to go back to the Iron Hills with him, no doubt because he loved you.”

“Erebor is my home, I didn’t want to leave. I work with the king here and am well on my way to becoming the Royal Advisor, the main one to Thorin when he takes the throne! He shouldn't have expected me to want to pass up my occupation for him! It was silly for him to even ask!” Balin rolled his eyes. “Besides, he didn’t love me, after one more month here he found another to take back home with him.”

“He was, Balin! He left with a suitor because he was expected to return home with one. He came to Erebor to find a husband or wife. He thought you were the one.”

“But I didn’t feel he was my one! And I have a career here!”

“You’re just going to make this Dori dwarf enjoy your company, fall in love, and when you’re done with him break his sweet heart!” Ami raised her voice, she never really shouted, but Balin was upsetting her.

“I will do no such thing! I’m just...I’m curious.” Balin took a deep breath. “I want to know about him.”

“Want to know about who?” Fundin asked as he walked into the sitting room. He had come in while Ami and Balin were having an argument. 

“A dwarf named Dori he’s curious about, you know how the last two went.” Ami told the old warrior. “He wants to find him and study him like he’s something in the wild he can just write a book on then never have a second thought on again.”

“I don’t agree with Balin studying Dori, but I do want him to find their address so I can see Nori again, Ami. I have to give him a good apology for hurting him.” Dwalin said quickly.

“Their address? They live where the small grocery store closed down on Hems Street. The Grocer and his wife left to the Iron Hills I believe. The brothers and their mother moved there just three days ago.” Fundin told them. Dwalin and Balin both perked up and listened intently. “Is dinner done?”

Ami sighed and rubbed her right temple. Her eyes were closed. “Yes, my Lord.” She answered.

“Boys, go into the dining room. I’ll meet you in there in a few minutes. I’m seeing Ami off.” Fundin ordered.

“Yes, father.” They both answered. 

Fundin could see the eagerness in their eyes for more information on the two brothers before they each got up and headed into the dining room. The warrior gestured for Ami to follow him into the mudroom by the door after she opened her eyes. “So what have they both gotten into?” He asked her quietly.

“Dwalin is fine, the lad is guilty over his run into Nori, and maybe has a bit of a crush.” Ami told him.

Fundin nodded and smirked a tiny bit. “Both of those brothers are very pretty, and Dwalin doesn’t often have lads or lasses he’s interested in. Plenty flirt with him, but he never picks up on it. I love him, but he’s a dense one when it comes to courting.” 

The old nursemaid smiled and nodded. “He’s at that age now, my own daughter didn’t start taking interests in dwarrows until she was Dwalin’s current age, and my other finally decided she was craft wed to her blacksmithing when she was a few years older than that.”

Fundin chuckled. “I wondered if both my children would end up craft wed with how dedicated they are to the royal line and the roles they were each given to aiding the prince. I would like a son or daughter in law if I have the chance though.”

“I always thought that Prince Thorin would end up son in law to you eventually. Their lineage is far enough apart and Thorin takes interest in Dwalin.” Ami giggled. “Thorin came earlier to make sure Dwalin was alright with what had happened in the market place. He was very worried, and wanted to stay with him, but Dwalin sent him away when Balin came home.”

“Perhaps, only time will tell. As long as my boys are happy in their lives. Now what is Balin up to about Dori?” 

“You’re a good Da to them, my Lord.” She told him. It was why she loved working for Fundin. He seemed rough and hardened by war and time, but he was very loving and caring with his sons and to the dwarfs who knew him well. Ami was happy to see Dwalin following in his father’s foot steps. Balin however, was a different story. “He is going after this dwarf, Dori. Just like he did with that kind lad and innocent lass who fancied him so, oh my Lord Fundin, he’ll break this dwarf’s heart too. Dori will think him flirting and courting and if he falls for your son, he’ll be crushed.”

Fundin sighed. “Balin means well, he’s smart, curious, and regal, but he’s as thick as Dwalin when it comes to dwarfs who fancy him. I truly think my Balin is craft wed. I’ll talk to him. The issues that happened with that lord and lady were tragic and he didn’t mean to lead them on. I’ll tell him to watch his mannerism when he goes to see Dori.” 

“You’ll still let him go analyze and bother this dwarf?” Ami asked, quite astonished. 

“Yes.” He replied softly. “But with good reason, I promise you. There’s a problem in Ered Luin I’ve been neglecting for too long because I haven’t had any proof or definite information. I think the two brothers my two boys are after, may be able to help me.” 

Ami looked worried. “Are these two dwarf brothers dangerous?”

“No.” Was his quick response. “I think they’re running, and if I’m right, have good reason to be in Erebor. If they make friends with my sons, perhaps I’ll be able to gain some trust and finally learn some information. Ered Luin is beginning to corrupt, Ami. Today was the third time I had to punish and strip positions from guards who transferred here from Ered Luin in the last month. Eighth time if you count in the whole half of the year.”

Ami took a moment to take that in before looking down and giving a few nods. “Will you be telling the boys?”

“No, I want the trust to be genuine if they can gain it…”

“Why are you telling me all this my Lord? I’ll hardly be able to sleep tonight, you know my eldest is in Ered Luin.” Ami whispered.

“Because I might have to go to Ered Luin for a few years to fix things if I’m right...and I might not come back…” He returned in whisper.

Ami looked towards the dining room. 

The guard watched her. “The boys would be staying...”

“I’d never leave them. I’d stay to make sure they went to bed at proper times and ate their breakfast and dinner, and never forgot to bring lunch with them to work. It wouldn’t be hard, afterall, I live right next door.”

Fundin nodded. “Thank you, you’re the only one I could ever trust to watch them while I was gone for so long….and if I died. I suppose that’s everything for today.” He took a sack of gold coins from his pocket and held it out to her.

She took her pay for the week and forced a smile at him. “Have a good night, my Lord.”

“I’ll try.” Fundin gently bumped his forehead to her in a loving gesture and watched as she left for dinner at her own home with her husband and their daughters.

Fundin went back to his sons in the dining room and smiled at them when he saw the two fighting over a leg of mutton. 

“You just ate the other two, you didn’t leave any for Da. Plus you had practically all of the cookies during tea time, how are you still hungry?!” Balin complained as he pulled it.

“The legs are my favourite, and Da always gives me his anyway. You never eat it, you take one bite and it sits there on your plate. You only want it because I want it.” Dwalin pulled it right back.

“Give it to your brother, Dwalin.” Fundin ordered as he grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes and scooped a hefty spoonful onto his plate. He sat down at his chair as he stabbed a steak with his fork and added it to his plate.

Dwalin groaned and let go. Balin gave him a shit eating grin and took a bite out of the leg, making a face. “Its undercooked.”

“No its not, and look, here you are, putting it to the side of your plate and never touching it again.” Dwalin frustratedly told him.

Balin glared at Dwalin, picked it back up, and chomped on it, although it was obvious he wasn’t enjoying it. Dwalin let out a disgruntled noise, making Fundin chuckle.

“So are you both going to see Dori and Nori tomorrow?” Fundin asked between bites of his steak and potatoes.

Both Balin and Dwalin looked towards their father, eagerness and excitement flaring up in their eyes once again.

“Well, I don’t know about Balin, but I’m going to see Nori. I’m bringing him apology…hmm” Dwalin frowned, realizing he hasn’t completely thought what to bring Nori.

“I am going to see Dori.” Balin spoke up.

“Oh? And what will make him want to even see you? It didn’t seem like he liked us at all.” Dwalin asked, snarkily. He was still cross with his brother for taking the mutton leg he had wanted.

Balin frowned, obviously having not thought about that much either. He had been too caught up trying to find them. “I…”

“Oh, Balin, I was actually going to ask you to possibly go help Dori with the shop he is opening.” Fundin said quickly. 

“A….shop?” Balin asked, confused.

“Yes, he was going to be selling loose tea and tea sets, but I told him that with what he had, would be good for a little cafe instead. I think he liked the idea, and by the sound of how much he had product wise, it would be an excellent investment, especially where the location is, but it would be something new to him. I was thinking of sending you to help. I think we should treat him to tables and chairs. I have some gold coins on the mantle of my fireplace in my room you can take. Also, I think it would be nice to help him with financing and inventory as he grows the cafe. Besides, he might need help unpacking with a pregnant mother and his brother now having a broken arm. You have time in the afternoon after work, don’t you? Hmm...Dwalin, why don’t you try and see if Nori and their mother need any help around their home as an apology? Dori led me to believe she’s having a bit of trouble, can’t help with the shop, and I believe it, especially after their long journey to Erebor. Also flowers and a card from Miss Fable’s flower shop would probably be appreciated by young Nori.” Fundin watched as he spoke and saw grins spreading across his sons’ faces. Their excitement seemed almost unable to be contained. 

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! I think I have some good financial books upstairs!” Balin practically ran upstairs to his bedroom. “I’ll grab the coins too!” He yelled.

“Balin, wait a moment!” Fundin yelled after him.

Dwalin jumped up from the table. “I’m going to her shop! It closes soon!” He cried as he ran towards the door.

“Dwalin, get them fresh in the morning instead!” Fundin turned to yell at his youngest but it was also too late for that. He sighed as he realized both his boys were already deep into their fantasies of what tomorrow would hold and determined to be completely ready for it. The old warrior smiled to himself. He was proud of his reckless little ones and his plan. He hoped to unravel the mysterious corruption of Ered Luin soon.

Fundin brought a hand up and pressed two fingers under his eyepatch to rub his useless, scarred eye. He sighed.

_Vikis._

_When he saw Nori’s sharpish features, he saw Vikis._

_His friends were being killed before his eyes as a black-haired dwarf laughed in the center of the slaughter. Sharp features were able to twist into a psychotic grin. Fundin’s stomach churned as he saw the crazed dwarf, and behind him, his crazed children._

_Vikis was a monster._

_At a very young age, the thief had sired eight bastard children. At a very young age, this sick monster started teaching eight little children how to become his perfect little cohorts. At a very young age, Vikis had eight corrupted children who were dangerous little weapons._

_None of the original eight were of age when they attacked, all of them under the age of sixty, but all dangerous. Dangerous and loyal. All of them were loyal because they got to see their bastard brothers and sisters who belonged to their mothers and breeder dwarfs who made them, get neglected by their sires. Their sire stayed and fathered them, so they believed he loved them and would always be there for them. In return, they would do anything their Da asked of them._

_Fundin was a simple guard, guarding the Great Vault of Ered Luin, where the dwarfs of Ered Luin stored their treasures and money. Just another place to learn the basics of being a guard and warrior of Erebor. It was a quiet night, until the first child attacked._

_The little dwarf had looked like an innocent little beggar, he was no older than forty. One of Fundin’s friend smiled at the little dwarrow and brought some midnight snacks over to the little one to snack on and took off his coat to give to him that as well. Any dwarf’s heart would bleed at the sight of such a skinny, small child left in the cold night._

_The kind gesture was never completed. The child had pulled out a sharp little axe after the guard had crouched down and drove it as hard as he could, into the guard’s skull. The guard crumpled and blood began to pool at the child’s feet. The little one pulled out another axe. One of the guardsmen whose specialty was with a bow, pulled it out quickly, knocked an arrow to it, and shot at the little one’s arm to only injure and get the axe away._

_The child was fast, the guard missed, and then came the onslaught. There was eight children, their sire Vikis, seventeen guards, and Fundin. When the battle was over, their were no more children, no more guards, and only Fundin, on the ground, with Vikis kneeling above and on him as his eye bled out, a knife just barely piercing it. Both had gashes on their chests, arms, and legs._

_“Guess this is it, guard.” Vikis sneered. He was slowly pushing the knife deeper into Fundin’s eye. “You took out five of mine, five. All your other friends were shit. How’s it feel to kill children? Bloody bastard, I’m glad I get to take you out myself.”_

_Vikis sounded upset, offended even, that Fundin had to bring himself to take out five of the eight tiny dwarrows. He was insane. Fundin would have thought about it more but at the moment, with the thief gouging out his eye, Fundin only thought of the pain he was in and how to get the monster away from him._

_It was pure luck the guards on the next shift were coming early to surprise their friends with warm tea and pastries on the cold night._

_Vikis had stopped his work on Fundin and darted away when he saw them._

_After a trip to the healer’s guild, Fundin had to retell his tale of what had happened several times. He hated reliving the memory, seeing the faces of the children who he was forced to kill to save his own life. He wanted to protect the children, to let them know Vikis was a bad man, using them. He was disgusted with himself. He hated the monster. How could anyone do that to children? Train them as if he was training them for war and using them for dirty work. He turned the innocent into murderers. They should have had lives, good, loving lives._

_He had almost quit the guard altogether. If he had to kill children, he wanted no part of the life. Thrain had begged and convinced Fundin to stay, that the warrior was needed, and that this would never happen again._

Only it did. Over the years, in secret, Vikis made more monsters out of children. So far there was 35 known children of Vikis, some full, but most of them half brothers and sisters. Sometimes the other children of the mothers and breeders he sired with joined Vikis as well. Very few of Vikis’ children betrayed him, those who did, or tried to run from their life of thievery, were quickly killed. Vikis and his children moved around the dwarf and human settlements frequently, near impossible to catch. 

Fundin could feel the burning in his veins. It was only five years ago the guard learned that Vikis had more and that he was still training when a plan of his went wrong in the Iron Hills. They lived all through the towns and settlements. Their ages varied from as young as 35 to as old as 120. None had made it to Erebor at least. He had made sure of it.

Fundin went up to his room. He heard his eldest speaking to himself in his own room as Balin ran around it while he walked by. In his own room, the coins over the fireplace were gone, already taken by his excited son. Fundin shut and locked his door.

None had made it to Erebor. None till now.

Fundin went to his bookshelf and grabbed a small blue book. He opened it up and flipped through some pages. The page he opened up to said:

_Nori_

_Red hair, slender, freckles, sharp nose, no tattoos_

_Ered Luin_

Fundin put a line through Ered Luin and added a bit to it.

_Nori brother of Dori_

_Red hair, slender, freckles, sharp nose, no tattoos, innocent_

_~~Ered Luin~~ Erebor_

Fundin could not protect all of the children Vikis sired, but at least now, he could protect one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to put a lot, I'm actually pretty tired. I stayed up till 4 am writing this chapter but I'm proud of it, and I think this helps with a bit more direction to where the story is going.


	6. Fundin's Sons Don't Understand The Word No

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori and Dwalin finally get to actually chat. Kind of. 
> 
> This chapter is alternatively named 'Dori's Mother Doesn't Help When He Tries To Kick People Out'. Seemed too long though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I love writing this. I'm actually really excited for writing each and every next chapter. I love comments and people talking to me, so feel free to leave one, or contact me at meleerage.tumblr.com

The next morning the Fundin household buzzed with activity. Fundin was eating bacon and hash while his two sons ran around the house preparing for the day. Dwalin had a piece of toast hanging out of his mouth by the corner of it while he carefully scribbled on his third card. He had went and bought the card and flowers last night. The young guard had forgotten to put the yellow roses he had bought in water and they wilted overnight. The card he had wrote last night would have been fine if Balin hadn’t read it and caught the spelling mistakes. Dwalin had groaned and ran around trying to hand make a second one, but it obviously wasn’t going well. Thankfully, Balin went out and brought back a third, new card, and some simple bluish forget-me-nots for Dwalin about an hour ago. Dwalin was now smiling down at his card in front of him. The toast fell from his mouth. He had to quickly grab it before it fell and stained the card with the strawberry jelly he had spread thinly on it. It crunched in his hand, making Dwalin wince. Fundin chuckled softly as he watched Dwalin groan and pick up the card with his other hand, shaking the crumbs off it that had landed across it when he grabbed the bread out of the air. 

Balin rolled his eyes as he walked into the dining room with papers in his hands. “Messy, messy, messy…” He murmured softly as he went over to his own chair at the table.

“I didn’t mean to…” Dwalin muttered. He put the toast on his plate next to him and rubbed his hand on his tunic.

“Oh great, now you have red jelly all over your clothes.” Balin snorted.

“What? No I don’t.” The younger brother looked down at his clothes. He had forgotten the toast he caught had jelly on it when he wiped his hand on his shirt to get the crumbs off it. Dwalin let out a frustrated noise as he stomped upstairs to go change.

Fundin simply chuckled more at his son’s antics. He tried to keep it quiet though, he didn’t want to stress his youngest out more so than he already was.

Balin buttered a few pieces of toast. “I’m leaving now, Da. I have the day off, I’m seeing Dori.” He told him as he put the papers he had into a knapsack he carried and grabbed his toast.

“No you aren’t, not yet. I need a word with you. Sit yourself back down.” Fundin replied and pointed at Balin’s chair as Balin tried to make his escape anyway. “Sit.”

Balin went back to his seat, a bit irked his father wasn’t allowing him to leave just yet. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“We’ll talk in a minute, let me finish eating and see Dwalin off first.” The Captain of the Guards told his eldest as Dwalin hurried back down the stairs.

“Yes, Father.” Balin decided to just munch on the toast he was going to carry off with him while he waited. He was a little curious as to why his father wished to speak to him.

Fundin smiled at his youngest, dressed in a clean, newly bought, green tunic that fit him nicely. “Do you have everything?” He asked.

“Um...almost.” Dwalin grabbed the forget-me-nots off the table and held them tightly. “Yes. Ready to go.”

Fundin beckoned him close and pressed his forehead to his son’s. “Good. Dwalin, I need you to promise me something before you run off to go see Nori and apologize to him.”

“What is it?” He asked.

“Nori is a tiny dwarf and he’s new to Erebor. I want you to show him Erebor is safe place. Keep Nori safe. Protect him. Promise me that.” 

Dwalin was confused why his father was asking him that. A part of him wanted to get to know Nori, to grow close to the mysterious, pretty dwarf he had met the day before, but he figured, after the apology, the dwarf wouldn’t care about anything else to do with him. He wanted to help Nori around in their new house, like his father had said the night before to do, but he didn’t even know if he was welcome. Still, he promised his father. “I will. I’ll protect him.” He vowed. Even if he wasn’t allowed into Nori’s life, he could still watch the dwarf around Erebor and help him if he ever saw the redhead in need of assistance. 

“You’re a good boy, Dwalin.” His father smiled at him.

Dwalin smiled back and went over to Balin, gently bumping foreheads with him as well. “I hope we run into each other there.” He whispered softly.

“We will, I’ll follow when I can.” Balin grinned.

Dwalin waved to his family and he was off, hurrying to the home of the Ri’s.

When Dwalin got to the two story home and business, he looked around the area. He knew Ami had loved this little grocery store on Hems Street, it would be missed. The store part had sheets over the windows and double doors in the front. On the left side of the house, in the small, well lit alley there was another door. Ami had told him it led into the house part, the kitchen. She had taken tea with the grocer’s wife on multiple occasions. He wondered which door he should knock on until the elder brother, Dori, opened the double doors and swept dust out into the street.

“Good morning.” Dwalin said quickly to Dori after a short break of silently watching him sweep.

“Morning.” Dori said mindlessly as he concentrated on his sweeping. He looked up and his eyes went wide. “Y-you! What are you doing here?!” He sputtered out.

“Oh! Uhhhhh…” Dwalin went quiet for a moment. He has almost forgot why he was here because of Dori’s sudden and surprising outburst. “Could I see Nori? Um, please?” Dwalin was a bit worried for a moment with how Dori was looking at him with shifty eyes, glancing between him, the door, and the flowers and card in Dwalin’s hands.

“No.” Dori replied after a moment.

“No? But, I just want to apologize to him, please. I’ll only take a second of his time. You can even stand here with us.” Dwalin begged. Why was the dwarf denying him his apology?

“I said no.” Dori stepped backward towards the door. He didn’t like the look of Dwalin, big and rough, and he, no doubt, was trying to woo Nori with the card and flowers he brought. He knew guards back in Ered Luin of Dwalin’s strength and toughness, and although Dori could fight him off, his little brother would never be able to. He didn’t want to give Dwalin the chance to get close to Nori and trick his little brother into being alone with him. It had happened once, with another guard in Ered Luin, Nori had come home bleeding and bruised, with Vikis in tow. Vikis had killed the guard, he didn’t like others touching Nori without his ‘blessings’, as he put it. Vikis had always kept a close eye on his younger brother. “Listen. Nori sleeps till noon, most days, and he’s hurt. He needs to stay inside and rest. We’re just starting out here and I want my family to be able to settle in peacefully, at our own pace, so I want you to leave, and never come bother us again.”

Dwalin’s face fell down from the hopeful smile he had on to one full of uncertainty and worry. He had never been met with a dwarf so full of distrust and resentment for him. He was of Durin linage and son of the Captain of the Guard. He was well respected yet Dori made him feel like a criminal. He looked down. 

“...Could you give my card and flowers to Nori at least, Dori?” He asked. Dwalin felt upset, but it’s not like he could force his way into the home of an innocent dwarf to see the redhead again. Even if he was dastardly enough to do it, which he definitely wasn’t, he’d felt the elder Ri’s strength. It was better not to upset him and feel his wrath for a second time. He was sure a second run in with the strength Dori possessed would lead to a broken bone or bones for himself.

Dori gave a look of pity to the guardsman before shaking his head. “No.” He said softly as he gently closed the double doors of the closed down shop and left Dwalin standing there. 

Dori sighed. It was odd to see a guardsman look so heart broken. “Can’t let myself feel bad, I’m sure if he wasn’t directly the son of the Captain he’d have tried more to get my brother.” Dori figured if he was here, his father knew, because he was sure the guardsman would otherwise be patrolling, so that meant Dwalin would be forced to ‘play nice’. He sighed again. “As long as we’re safe…”

Outside Dwalin was staring at the door, shocked. His card wouldn’t even make it to Nori. It wasn’t fair. He was trying to be nice and part of him was hurt. Dwalin paced back and forth in front of the closed shop and home, thankful it was still early and no one was on the street to watch him do it. He’d promise to protect Nori for his father, and show him Erebor was safe. That involved at least speaking once more to Nori didn’t it? Maybe the redhead would seek him out. 

Dwalin looked back around the house and looked up at a clothes line going from the window on the second floor of the right side of the house to the house. He was only looking up because he saw Nori’s tunic from the day before, hung to it. It was a soft material, Dwalin had felt it when he picked him up the day earlier. It was nearly as soft as how soft Nori’s hair had looked to him and he was regretting not stroking it while the dwarf had slept. Dwalin made a face. That was actually a creepy thought so he quickly shook it from his head. A better thought replaced it. If Dori wouldn’t give Nori the card and flowers, maybe he could get them to Nori another way. 

He found himself carefully climbing the wall of the Ri’s house. Some stones that had been used to build the wall, jutted out, giving him the perfect grips to hold onto and foot holds to push up. He just had to climb to the top, and there was a large enough pocket on the tunic to slip his card and flowers into. He grinned to himself as he made his way up. This was the perfect plan, or at least it had been the perfect plan until he got to the window sill and the rock he had both his feet on, broke in half under his full weight, leaving him dangling from the window with no footing. “....Oh Mahal’s fucking hammer…” He groaned. 

Even though the drop was only two stories, the ground was solid rock of the mountain. The house was built a bit taller than most dwarf housing because the grocery store and part of the downstairs of the home had rather high ceilings to make the store seem bigger than it was. Dwalin would be hurting himself on the way down, unless he could climb up into the window. Dwalin winced and took a chance, knocking on it softly.

Nori had been woken up early when Dori got up. They were sharing bedrolls on the floor until they could get proper cots or beds, giving up the only cot they did actually have, to their mother. Dori brought him breakfast and did laundry in the sink. When his brother had finished hanging it to dry, he helped Nori to dress and did one big simple braid in the back to keep his hair tame and tangle free. Dori told him today he would be resting while Dori did some cleaning and possibly more unpacking for their future business downstairs. Also he had said something about cookbooks? Nori guessed Dori had changed his mind on what he wanted to do with the little shop they were opening.

Nori was just laying down, uncomfortable in the bedroll when he heard a knock. Nori sat up and looked at the door. It hadn’t sounded like the door though. He looked at the window and saw a hand. A feeling of dread overcame him. No. None of the others his father sired were in Erebor, Erebor was untouchable. Erebor was supposed to be safe. They were free here. Nori quickly grabbed a knife from out of a pouch by his pillow and got up slowly. He carefully crept to the window and looked out. The feeling of dread evaporated away. It wasn’t a child of his sire, it was the guard from yesterday. Nori’s mood changed to annoyed. Oh, no, no way. If this guard was thinking that he was going to let him do anything with his body for getting him proper medical attention after yesterday, he would be getting a knife in a very unpleasant place, pretty soon. Nori could call it self defense, this dwarf was trying to climb though his damn window after all.

Still Nori put down the knife, opened the window, and quickly picked the knife back up again, all with his good hand. His other arm was back in a sling. “What is this? What do you think you’re up to?” Nori asked the hanging dwarf, annoyed.

“Um, could I come in?” Dwalin asked back. 

Nori drove the knife into the window sill right next to Dwalin’s fingers, making the other dwarf wince, but not completely lose his grip. “Didn’t answer my question.”

“I will, I will! I promise, just please let me in, I’m starting to slip.” Dwalin begged quickly. 

“...Fine. Then you answer my questions, all of them. Deal? Either that or I call for Dori. You felt his strength yesterday. Anything he does in this house, he and I can claim self defense, so no trying anything funny when you get in.”

“Deal! I promise, I’m not doing anything...well I guess you can count this as ‘funny’, but I have a good, honest explanation for it.” Dwalin told him as Nori took his knife and moved back, allowing Dwalin to finally climb up and get into the house carefully.

“Okay, you're in. Spill it.” Nori crossed his arm over his one in the sling.

"I came to apologize for yesterday." Dwalin replied. 

"You already did that yesterday."

"No, like a good apology with..." He pulled the card and flowers out from the pocket of his trousers. The flowers were a little crushed. "Well..."

"Are those forget-me-nots?" Nori asked with an eyebrow raised. "What are you trying to say?" 

"Well, they were supposed to be yellow roses, for friendship. I wanted to make peace and become just...friends. Balin got the flowers this morning after the roses wilted overnight. They match your outfit for the day." He referred to the bluish tunic Nori had on, which seemed to be a replica of yesterday’s. Dwalin rubbed the back of his head. "I was going to leave these for you with Dori, and ask him if I could help you all around the house, when I saw him downstairs, but he told me to leave...and never come back." 

"Yeah that sounds like Dori. He's protective of me, he also owns this house now, so when he told you to leave and you didn't, you basically gave him the authority to call the guard on you. Why'd you try to climb in my window?" Nori pocketed the knife and reached out, taking the card to read while Dwalin explained.

"I wasn't trying to climb in your window, I saw the tunic you had on yesterday. I just wanted to put them in the pocket and go. The foot hold I was on broke off and I was stuck holding onto your window. I'll leave. I'm sorry." Dwalin hung his head down. He didn't mean to be a burden to the family. He headed towards the bedroom door to go. 

Nori listened carefully. Dwalin seemed like a honest dwarf, which was odd. The redhead didn't have run ins with many of those. Dwalin even looked upset. Shit. Now he was going to get killed by Dori, no doubt, while trying to leave for his stupidity of climbing the damn wall and into the bedroom. He'll assume that Dwalin was here to try and fuck him like he had. He dropped the card and quickly grabbed his arm. "Wait!" Nori hissed. 

"What?" The larger dwarf asked, surprised Nori would stop him after he had embarrassed himself and accidentally broke into their home.

"If Dori sees you, he will literally kill you." Nori whispered. 

"...oh."

"Yeah. Shit. One second. I'll help you, just, stay in my bedroom a second?" 

Dwalin nodded in understanding and went to sit down on Nori's bedroll, waiting. He played with the forget-me-nots in his hand.

Nori crept out of the bedroom. He looked and saw the door to his mother's room slightly ajar. Nori headed downstairs. He was only half way down before Dori appeared at the bottom of them, out of nowhere. 

"Where are you going?" The eldest asked.

"Glass of water. I'm thirsty." Nori lied easily.

Dori shook his head. "Should have called for me, I would have gotten you it." 

"It's my arm that's broken, not my legs. Besides, mom probably fell back asleep. I don't want to wake her." Nori headed down the rest of the steps.

"How is your arm?" Dori asked as he followed Nori to the kitchen. 

"Fine. That drink you gave me this morning with breakfast helped with the pain for the most part." The redhead took out a cup from the cabinet.

"Good. I found herbs in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom with a little note by it for how to brew and use them for pain relief. The old couple was very kind with what they left us. I think the herb they left will last us about two weeks for your arm. Oh, careful with that cup. Let me." Dori took the cup from Nori's hand. 

"Dori." Nori pouted. "I can do it." 

"I just want to help, you're all banged up again." Dori frowned.

Nori sighed at his brother. "Go ahead."

Dori gave him a small smile before turning on the tap and getting his brother the glass of water. He handed it to him carefully. "There you go. Why don't you go up and rest now? The more you rest, the faster it should heal." 

"Because I've rested enough. I slept all yesterday when I got knocked out. I slept all night on my bedroll next to you. I took a nap after breakfast. I'm not tired anymore, but I'll go and relax till lunch time if that's what you want." Nori replied, resigned.

"It is what I want. When it's lunch time we can have lunch together in the sitting room and go over plans with the shop. I'm thinking about a cafe. We can pull out great grandmother's old cookbooks and go over baked goods sections and pick some things out to make. We can have family bake time, just like we did when you were little." Dori looked happy. 

Nori hadn't seen Dori this happy in a long time. He knew his brother was quietly excited. He wanted to tell his brother they didn't have the funds to be buying flour and sugar and other necessities for baking, and should probably forget that idea. He wanted to say he loathed the idea of making a ton of dishes, a mess of the kitchen for food they didn't even get to eat, and cleaning it all up afterwards. He wanted to, but he couldn't bring himself to say that to Dori when his older brother was honest to Mahal, happy. He swallowed what he wanted to really say to Dori and smiled back at his brother. "...good idea. I'd like that." 

Dori moved forward and kissed his head. "Life is going to be so much better here." He wrapped his arms around Nori, gently. "I can feel it."

Nori sighed softly and leaned into him until they heard a knock on the glass doors of the shop.

"Who could that be...?" Dori frowned a bit. "Nori, go back upstairs, okay?" 

Nori nodded as Dori let go and headed out into the shop again. He hurried upstairs.

Dwalin had laid down on Nori's side of the bedroll and idly played with a few red hairs that were left on the pillow. He moved his face against the pillow. It was warm and smelt of coconut oil. Nori had probably been resting when Dwalin bothered him. He felt bad about it now. He had never meant to be such a burden on the life of the small family. The guard allowed himself to relax into the pillow and bedroll while Nori was gone. At least this was nice. The soft pillow and warm bedroll that belong to the younger brother, and it smelt so familiar, although he couldn’t place it. He was almost asleep when Nori opened the door back up. 

"Hurry, while my brother is distracted by the door, into the kitchen, there's another way out." The redhead said. 

Dwalin quickly got up and followed him down the stairs and got to the kitchen door. Dori was thankfully still in the store.

Nori opened the door to the alley way that led to the street and pushed Dwalin through the door. "Well now you're 'safe' and can run if Dori comes...were you smelling my pillow?" Nori had seen Dwalin with his head buried in his pillow when he got him.

"Thanks...um...well..." Dwalin blushed a bit.

"You were." Nori replied in disgust.

"It smelt like coconut oil, I haven't smelt coconut oil since...since…” Dwalin thought for a moment. Why was the smell so familiar to him? “...my mother died. She used to use it in her hair." Was Dwalin's timid answer when he remembered.

"Oh..." Nori looked down. A dead mom? That was shitty. He wouldn't be able to imagine life without his mother. 

"Can I see you again?" He asked sheepishly.

Nori looked back up at him. "Why?" 

"So we can be friends, and I can make up for all of this." 

Nori shook his head. "You don't have to make up for anything. It seems like you'll just keep trying and it will end up worse and worse. Sometimes that's just how bad luck is." 

"Oh...could I still see you again?" Dwalin asked once more.

Nori was about to answer until someone spoke up behind Nori.

"Of course. As long as your intentions are pure." 

Nori quickly turned to see his mother at the stairs, holding her swollen belly and smiling at him and Dwalin. "Amad! You should be upstairs, resting. You're so close to having the babe..."

"I know that." She walked towards Nori with a piece of paper in her hand. She kissed his head. "But I was listening to you and your friend who came through the window the whole time from my bedroom and I wanted to meet him. Hello, I'm Mari." She smiled at Dwalin cheerfully.

Dwalin was speechless. The Dwarrowdam in front of them had hair practically made of mithril and was the loveliest he'd ever seen, other than his own beautiful mother. At least now Dwalin knew where Dori and Nori had gotten their good looks. Would Nori and Dori's hair be that color when the beautiful red faded from each of her boys’ hair? He could only imagine them getting more attractive. 

"Dwalin." Nori snapped to break him from his trace. "Don't look at my Mum like that!"

"Sorry, she's beautiful." Dwalin replied quickly then hit himself in the face with his hand and groaned. "I mean...sweet Mahal..."

Mari giggled. "He doesn't mean any harm, Nori. I've been trying to tell you and Dori both, the people are Erebor are more sincere and kind than those in Ered Luin. You can trust others here."

"He's a guard." Nori whispered.

"Yes, but there's a reason to why none of your sires offspring are here. It's a safe place, the guards are not corrupted." Mari whispered back so Dwalin couldn't hear while he muttered to himself. 

"If it's so safe, then why didn't you bring us here sooner? We had to live with a monster." Nori became upset.

Mari frowned. "I'm sorry...I'll explain. My little treasure, tonight at dinner, you, Dori, and I will all have a very long and important talk about all of this."

Thankfully, Dwalin was still too busy beating himself up to register Nori and Mari's conversation.

Nori nodded a bit. "Okay. Promise?" 

"I promise." She kissed his head and clapped her hands loudly, drawing Dwalin's attention back to her. "Well then, lovely. Can I ask you to go to the market place and get me some things, if you're up for it with your arm? I want to make dinner tonight and I have something my mother taught me to make when I was young and lived back here in Erebor with her years and years ago." Mari held out the paper she had to Nori. As well as some iron coins in her other hand to pay with.

"Yes...but...oh geez, mom I can't carry everything." Nori grimaced. 

Dwalin perked up. "I can help! Besides I know where everything is and where the best prices are and who you can haggle with! I can carry anything Nori needs me to." 

Mari nodded. "Of course. I think that's a splendid idea." She gave the coins to Nori and handed the list to Dwalin. "Your first new friend of Erebor, and a guard at that. I’m so proud, Nori."

"....yeah, I guess so. I still miss my old ones though. Pretty sure Dori would knock out this one, just like he would with all the others." Nori smirked a bit. 

"Unfortunately." Dwalin didn't look happy at the idea of being knocked out.

"Well, we’ll see you and Dori at lunchtime, Amad." Nori gave her a peck on the cheek before walking out of the house and closing the door behind him. "I guess we can be friends, but only because my mother has pretty much gave you her blessings."

Dwalin smiled a bit after that. "Well, good, because that's what I came here wanting. Um, can I ask you a question though?" 

"Shoot." Nori said as he went down the back way of the alley way so Dori wouldn't have even the possibility of seeing them.

"Why does your brother like to beat up your friends?" 

Nori simply chuckled in response.

###### 

Dori moved forward and kissed his head. "Life is going to be so much better here." He wrapped his arms around Nori, gently. "I can feel it."

Nori sighed softly and leaned into him until they heard a knock on the glass doors of the shop.

"Who could that be...?" Dori frowned a bit. "Nori, go back upstairs, okay?" 

Dori headed to the front of the store. This had better not be Dwalin. He would only ask the dwarf to go away nicely, once. He would not allow them to be harassed. 

Dori pulled open the door. "Yes?" He blinked. It wasn't Dwalin, it was...shoot. What was his name again? The older one. 

"Balin, at your service, again." Said Dwalin's elder brother. 

That's right. Balin. Dori sighed. Not another one. "Dori, and I'm unfortunately, not exactly at yours."

"Of course not." Balin chuckled. "I'm the one who came to help."

"I'm not in need of any help. I already sent your brother away. Have a good day, thank you." Dori went to quickly close the door but Balin stuck his foot in the way of the door to keep it from being closed. 

Balin winced when it hit, Dori was strong, and he could practically feel it when his foot was crushed by the door that was trying to slam shut. "Oh, but my father sent me. You're going to be running a cafe after all. He wanted to make sure you got any help you needed."

Dori frowned. He had almost forgotten that they were sons of the Captain of the Guard and in such powerful positions. Still, he wouldn’t allow him in his own home. "Well, I'm doing quite well on my own. If you'll excuse me, I have cleaning to do."

Balin was never deterred easily. "That's all good and well, but many hands make light work, Master Dori. You are master of this house, correct, the eldest male?" 

"Yes." Dori said through his clenched teeth. Balin was doing an excellent job of upsetting him. "And it's just Balin, isn't it? You aren't a Lord, your father is the Lord of your home."

"That title works differently. Master or Mistress of the house is a title of ownership of home or the man or woman of the house, who simply directs and dictates the rules, usually the breadwinner. Lord or Lady is one of wealth that passes down through generations. My father has wealth which is passed down to Dwalin and I, we're both Lords." Balin explain.

"So that's how it works. Well, _Lord_ Balin, I must be going. I'm a busy dwarf with a family to take care of. I’m the breadwinner as you say. Take care." He tried pulling the door closed again, but Balin stopped it this time with his hand so his foot wouldn’t be crushed.

“But Master Dori, I have a floor plan, and my father told me to treat you any furniture or extra stock you need for it, so that you wouldn’t have to worry about any loans and debt. We’re sure travel here and the house cost you a fair bit of coin.” 

In all honesty, the house and trip they had practically got for free because the people running the caravan were friends of Mari’s, and Dori got the noble from Ered Luin to get him the house, also for basically free. Still, they Ri family didn’t have much in the way of money. Dori stopped trying to pull the door closed for a moment. “...treat me?”

“Aye. I have some pretty coins on me, my father wants me to help. Basically, its an apology for what happened to young Nori.” Balin pulled out the fancily designed, red pouch of gold coins swung it in front of Dori’s face. Dori took a step back but his eyes followed it as it swung slowly. Balin smirked a bit and pushed the coin pouch into Dori’s hands and quietly stepped into the empty store space. He closed the door behind himself while Dori opened the pouch and pulled out a gold coin, pinching it between his fingers. 

“Sweet Mahal….are these all…” Dori trailed off in whisper as he poured the coins into his hand. Out tumbled multiple little gold coins. Dori gasped. He had never seen this many gold coins in one place, iron and copper coins, but never silver, and definitely not gold. 

Balin put an arm around Dori’s shoulders and gestured to the empty space with his other hand. “How about a few nice, strong oak tables, from the woodland realm, or mahogany. I know a good woodcarver, he gets them in, etches them with a design about a finger length in on the outer rim, the sides, and a small design in the center of it, then stains and glazes the wood so it doesn’t scratch or knick easy. I think six could fit comfortably in here. For seating we could have a few matching wooden chairs, but I really think, for a warmer feel of the place, some big arm chairs. I’m thinking brown deer hide, so its a bit softer. Plus if anyone drops something, it will be easy to clean and a stain is less likely to show. I know a good place to get them commissioned. We can get twelve of them, two for each table. Then we can still get a few extra wooden ones depending on space in here. Is the left door to the kitchen?”

Dori simply nodded as the vision of what he could turn their empty little space into appeared before his eyes, captivating him. He chewed on his lower lip as he thought about it, a bad habit of his.

Balin continued. “You can move the display cases to the left and put the counter with the cash register between the two long cases over there. That way if you come out with something newly baked you can be behind the counter, not run into anyone, and put it straight in the case. We can throw up some new paint on the walls and decoration, I bet some of those pretty plates you have over there would look nice hanging on the walls.” 

Dori nodded along slowly and gripped the gold coins in his fingers until Balin finished speaking. He put the coins in the pouch and gently pushed Balin, careful not to use too much of his strength, away from him to get his arm off of him. “Please do not touch me, I told you that yesterday. I like what you’re saying, but I don’t want to be in debt to your family.” He held the pouch full of coins out towards Balin. “I’ve already banned your brother from coming to see my brother. Take it back, and please leave.”

Balin looked shock. He had thought he had Dori fully captivated. No one ever turned down his offers of help when it came to business, especially when he was willing to hand over money to get whatever it was, done. Once again Dori wasn’t doing as he expected him to and he was being kicked out. He had to think and think fast if he wanted to fix this and be able to stay.

Balin’s savior came in the form of a lovely woman with hair of mithril. 

“Whose this Dori?” Mari asked from the kitchen door.

“Balin, son of Fundin, at your service, Ma'am. I’m here to help Dori with the shop.” Balin immediately grinned at her and gave a low bow. 

Mari perked up into a smile. “Really? I’m Mari, mother to my Dori and my Nori.”

“Yes, I was just telling him my floor plan, and seeing if he liked it at all. I actually have a drawing of it that I did last night, I might have to change where I have the cases and the counter on it. I would love to take him out shopping for furniture for it, on my family’s coin, think of it as a welcome to Erebor gift.” 

“That’s wonderful!” Mama Ri exclaimed. “See Dori, I told you, dwarfs are much kinder in Erebor.”

“I turned down this offer.” Dori quickly told his mother.

“I insist.” Balin butted in.

“Oh, go ahead Dori, I’ll be fine here. This will help us.” Mari was obviously excited.

“My brother, Dwalin, would also love to help, I’m sure.” The son of Fundin added.

“Mother, I already turned his brother away, and besides, even if you don’t need me, I should stay and take care of Nori since you can not right now.” Dori was fighting a losing battle.

“Oh, Nori already went out with Dwalin to do some shopping for me. He seems like such a nice lad, I met him in the kitchen. I think Nori and him will get along perfectly.” Mari waved her son off. “Go, go out and shop with Balin. Its so nice to finally see you with a friend.”

“He’s not- what?! How did Dwalin get in?! I sent him away.”

“He climbed through yours and Nori’s bedroom window.” She replied cheerfully. 

Balin snorted and grinned, trying to keep himself from actually laughing. Of course his brother went to extremes to get his apology across.

“He what?!” Dori yelled.

“Oh, go out Dori, go with Balin. Everyone can come back for lunch, I’ll take care of the house.” She waved her son off again.

“Thank you Madam, see you soon.” Balin took his hand and began to pull Dori gently to the door.

“You’re pregnant! You should be resting!” Dori yelled back. 

“Have a good morning, my lovely son.” Mari waved as she went back into the kitchen.

Balin pulled Dori out the door. 

“Stop touching me!” He yelled agitated as he pulled his hand away from Balin.

Balin simply shrugged and closed the empty store’s double doors. 

Dori huffed and took a moment to regain his own composure. He glowered at Balin angrily. “Wooden tables and deer hide armchairs?” 

Balin nodded. 

“On your gold coins?”

Another nod.

“You expect nothing from me and I’ll have no debt?”

Balin nodded a third time.

Dori sighed in submission. “Lead the way.”

Balin smirked and gestured for Dori to follow him.


	7. Nori Goes Back to the Marketplace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to the market! This time with a new 'friend'? Nori isn't sure yet, but Dwalin seems alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive. I swear. Life has been busy but thank you for sticking with the story. I hope to get Dori to the marketplace next chapter. Stay tuned.

Nori decided he didn’t regret going with Dwalin despite them not talking too much as they went. The market place was once again busy and he was practically lost in the sea of fur. He’d say dwarfs, but the dwarfs of Erebor grew their hair longer than he’d ever seen in Ered Luin with intricate braids and fancy decorations. His eyes lingered on one of the ladies in a small group with the hair on her head done up into a swan and her beard giving a rippling effect to look like water. He didn’t want to be rude, but immediately the redhead stopped and snickered at it. Some of the styles were ridiculous like that one, but still admirable. He knew they took a lot of work and no doubt the dwarf was proud of it. 

Dwalin looked in the direction Nori was. He laughed softly while next to him and finally broke their silence. “I agree, some of the styles that are in right now, are a bit over the top.” He whispered.

Nori nodded and looked at him. “Wait...in? As in ‘in style’? You mean more people wear their hair like this?” He couldn’t believe more would, Dwalin had to be lying, but he hadn’t been paying attention to others on his journey yesterday.

The guardsman nodded and stifled another laugh. He put a hand on Nori’s back to gently guide him away. “It's fashion, who could possibly understand it?”

“But how does something like that even become ‘in style’ and a choice for fashion? It’s ridiculous. You’d never see something like that done in the Blue Mountains. No one stands out like that.” Nori murmured as Dwalin led him off. He didn’t like being touched much, not by anyone that wasn’t Dori or his mother, but Dwalin was being gentle. He’d allow him for now. 

“Some noble probably wore their hair like that and it caught on. It’s common here, even if it’s silly. At least it makes others smile.” The bigger dwarf replied as he led Nori towards some shops so they could get started on Miss Mari’s list.

“...Smiling. That’s kind of new, too.” The redhead added under his breath. 

“Smiling? Smiling is new? What do you mean?” Dwalin stopped and lowered his hand from Nori’s back.

“I mean. Well, it’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s just not normal to pass any smiling Dwarrow in Ered Luin unless they’re up to something.” He explained to Dwalin as he looked around at the shops in front of them. “Whoa...these are...fancy…”

Dwalin thought a bit about Ered Luin. He had been there a few times with his father. He didn’t think much of the place. The guards had smiled at him, but anyone in the street? No. He didn’t think he had. His memory of Ered Luin was a bleak grey scaled settlement. The dwarfs weren’t happy. He didn’t interact with them much because he was on errand with his father while there, but he did remember. 

The guard finally snapped out of it when he noticed Nori in awe of the shops in front of him.

Nori hadn’t paid attention to the market place yesterday because he had been deep in his own thoughts, but now it had his full attention. “Can I...even afford anything here?” It wasn’t like he could steal anything with one arm broken again and a big guard with him. 

“What? Of course? It’s a decent shop.” Dwalin smiled again and chuckled.

Nori rolled his eyes. “That isn’t what I meant, Dwalin. This looks like an expensive place.” He shifted and put his good hand on his hip.

“Expensive?” Dwalin looked at the shop and tried to figure out what Nori meant. The shop he wanted to bring him to was a baby blue with yellow trim and a few small pots of roses in front. It looked more welcoming to him than anything. “Why don’t you come in and see it yourself? Come on.” 

Dwalin waved the list at Nori while he backed into the store. 

“Dwalin. Wait. I don’t know if I want to shop here. Dwalin!” Nori snapped as he followed the bigger dwarf into the store. 

The store wasn’t as bad as Nori had thought it was going to be. In Ered Luin it would have been different. If Nori had been in Ered Luin and went into a place like this, he’d be thrown out in a second. It was clean and smelled of fresh berries. He looked around a bit. It wasn’t gigantic but it had nicely spaced out displays of food. There were spices, tea leaves of various kinds, flour, sugar, and other ingredients in big bins with little canvas bags and shovels so dwarfs could pick what they want and how much they needed. Against the wall were some shelvings with small crates of produce. Vegetables and fruit like lettuce, strawberries, apples, carrots, and an assortment he didn’t know seemed to be here. Maybe from Mirkwood? He knew that the Kingdom of the Elves wasn’t too far from Erebor, but he didn’t know what kind of trade went on between them. There was plenty here that Nori needed to buy for his mother. The prices seemed rather reasonable, too.

“There’s a butcher right down the road that has meats and cheeses.” Dwalin broke Nori from his awe. “If we need it.” 

“Dunno, you have the list Amad gave us.” Nori replied as he tried to grab it with his good hand.

Dwalin pulled it away and shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.” Despite Nori’s loud growl-like noise, obviously in protest, Dwalin read the list and started to fill a basket he had gotten from beside the door when he stepped it. His apology finally felt like it was starting to go right, being able to help Nori.

“You know, I can do something more than just pay for everything. Like say, maybe, you can tell me an item on the list and I can go fetch it for the basket.” Nori said as he watched Dwalin fill bags of sugar and flour. He huffed as he followed Dwalin over to the apples where Dwalin picked up two big green ones and a yellow thing Nori had never seen before. “...What’s that?”

“What’s what? The lemon? Miss Mari said to get it on her list.” Dwalin grabbed a couple of other items already in bags laid out. “What about the lemon?”

“Lemon...what is it? Why did Amad write it down? I’ve never seen it or hear her talk about them.” Nori curiously picked up one and inspected it. “I don’t think the Blue Mountains have them.”

“We get them from Mirkwood.” The bigger dwarf said, confirming Nori’s thought from before. It got the redhead to smile smugly. “They taste sour.”

Nori’s smile fell. “Sour? So they aren’t fresh then?” 

“No, no they are. They are supposed to be sour. They’re used for a lot of things...like lemon bars. I love those.” 

“Oh…” Nori still was confused but let the subject drop.

Dwalin decided after lunch, maybe Nori would like to try one and see for himself. He grabbed a few more lemons and threw them in the basket.

Nori watched. “Hey, wait a minute, I don’t even know if I have enough to pay for all that we have already. I need to count it.” He warned Dwalin.

Dwalin seemed to ignore what Nori said as he went to the register.

“Hello? Dwalin? Did you hear me at all?” Nori snapped as he followed. He stayed silent as everything was rung up, feeling sickness in his gut when he realized he probably didn’t have enough. It swelled when the total came out to a few more coins then he had. “I need to put some of the flour and sugar back, and I didn’t need the extra lemons.” Nori hissed at Dwalin.

Dwalin still ignored him as he pulled out a green coin purse. He laid out some silver coins quickly. 

“Dwalin, what do you think you’re doing?” Nori said a bit more loudly as the store keep laughed at what she was watching between the two dwarfs in front of her. Nori barked, “Dwalin,” once more, to no avail. 

Dwalin had bought a canvas bag from the store keep as well so he could put all the items from the basket into the bag. “Thank you, Miss.” He said kindly and began to walk out.

Nori followed after him, annoyed. He did not like charity like that. Dori, liked charity like that, which made him hate it more. He preferred simply taking what he wanted or needed. “Answer me.”

“I bought your items for you, I figured you wouldn’t otherwise let me if I said something before hand.” Dwalin finally spoke when they were out of the store. Nori seemed like he liked to do things for himself. He wanted the small redhead to take it easy and not have to worry while he was hurt. Dwalin intended to take care of him.

“No, I wouldn’t have, it wasn’t your place to. I don’t take handouts.” Nori replied curtly. “I’m not that kind of dwarf. I know what being in debt is like, and I don’t want to be-”

“You’re not.” Dwalin cut him off. “I’m in debt to you. That’s why I have to do this. I broke your arm, and this helps me feel a bit better. I know you don’t need the help, it's obvious you don’t need it, but it’s my duty to.” 

Nori sighed. “You just kind of re-broke it. It was already broke. If this really makes you feel better, fine, but when my arm is healed, no more. Deal?”

That was something that eased Dwalin’s mind and made him feel a bit better. It meant his help would be accepted. “Deal.” He was quick and eager to agree to it. 

“Dwaaa” Cried a tiny voice from nearby. 

Nori blinked. What was that? He looked around to see a very pretty Dwarrowdam, dressed to perfection with dark hair that was dripping in sapphires and blue velvet robes covering her radiant skin. A tiny little blonde dwarrow with his hair back into a little braid had arms reached out towards Dwalin. The little one was repeatedly yelling ‘Dwaaa’ with a huge grin on his face as they came closer. 

“Shouldn’t you be at the training fields? Looks like someone is skipping out on work.” The female dwarf laughed.

“Dis.” Dwalin chuckled. “I am not. I took the morning off to make up for what I did yesterday. This afternoon I’ll be training new recruits.” 

“Oh?” Dis finally noticed Nori, slightly behind Dwalin. “Oh! Hello, stop hiding, I won’t bite. Unless, of course, you give me reason to.” She teased.

Nori stepped next to Dwalin. “Wasn’t trying to, it’s hard for this one not to be a giant wall in anyone’s way.” He gestured to Dwalin with his good hand. 

Dis put a hand over her mouth trying to hide that she was laughing. “That’s absolutely true.”

Nori grinned as Dwalin grimaced. “I’m as big as my Da.” Dwalin tried to defend himself.

“And that’s pretty damn big.” Nori murmured.

Dis laughed again, not even trying to hide it. “Absolutely. I’m Dis, by the way, and this little munchkin who wants Dwalin to hold him, is Fili, my babe. My babe who loves Dwalin much too much.” The little Dwarfling seemed like he was about to fuss soon if he wouldn’t be taken by Dwalin whom he was obviously grabbing towards. Dis passed him off to Dwalin without so much as asking the big dwarf if he even wanted the baby. Dwalin didn’t seem to mind much as he held the little one with one arm so he could keep the bag of food items in the other. He forced a smile at the small child. The tiny babe stuffed his little hands into Dwalin’s beard to steady himself and giggled. 

“And you must be the one Dwalin crashed into yesterday, right?” Dis added.

Nori gave a nod. “Aye, I’m Nori. I was minding my own business and then this big oaf came out of nowhere just to knock me out.” 

“Oh my, that reckless brute!” 

“Exactly what I was thinking!” Nori exclaimed. 

Dis and Nori quickly got along, making jokes at Dwalin’s expense. Dwalin simply rolled his eyes and kept little Fili entertained. The morning was going very well. Nori hadn’t been sure what to expect, but this newfound friendship with the big guardsman seemed to be okay. His mom did want them to start anew here in Erebor. Maybe having Dwalin as a friend would make him a little more conscientious of his itchy palms and dissuade him from thinking about stealing now and then. Dis was interesting and funny, especially for a noble. Dis had to be some sort of rich Lord’s daughter or something with how she was dressed. With how they hit it off, Nori decided he really wouldn’t want to steal from her. New beginnings. That’s what this trip was all about. He could do this.

“Well, Fili and I need to get going. He has a playdate with Madam Riji’s daughter, Moji, soon. Don’t keep my brother, waiting this afternoon, Dwalin. He has no patience with the new recruits when he’s alone.” Dis said as she took Fili back.

“And you think I do? If they want to join the guard, they need to be completely ready for anything. I don’t go easy on anyone.” Dwalin grinned.

Dis rolled her eyes but smiled back. 

Nori pat Fili’s head gently. “See ya, kiddo. Can’t wait for Amad to have my little brother or sister soon so I can have a little one like you around.” 

“Maybe when she does, Fili and he or she can play together. Dwalin will keep us in touch, since it looks like he’ll be around trying to make everything up to you for your arm.” Dis suggested with a giggle. She knew how hard Dwalin was on himself.

“Hmm...yeah. I think that’s a good idea. It was nice meeting you, Dis, see you around.” Nori gave a small wave to her. 

“Goodbye.” She said as she left with her babe.

“Well, I think I’m ready to head back. She was pretty cool.” Nori referred to Dis, of course.

“Most people like Dis. She’s very level-headed, kind, snarky.” Dwalin chuckled a bit. He began to lead the way to Nori’s home since he knew it better.

“Yeah, can’t wait to meet her again.” Nori replied.

“I’ll take you to the palace sometime then. As long as we get permission for you to go, of course. That shouldn’t be hard at all, though, as long as you’re with me.” The bigger dwarf told him as they walked.

“Why would we be meeting her in the palace?”

“Because she lives there.”

“Why does she live there?” The redhead was confused.

Dwalin laughed. “Because she’s the Princess, of course.”

“Uh, what?” The Princess? What the heck did Dwalin mean ‘the Princess’? Did he seriously just talk to royalty and not even know it. No way would their conversation would had gone that smoothly if she was. They just spent ten minutes in undignified jokes about the son of the Captain of the Guard. “She’s not...really the Princess, right? No way. Princesses are...prissy, and don’t talk to common folk.”

Dwalin realized that Nori probably had no clue who the royal family was and didn’t believe him. “That...isn’t true. Dis is just...Dis. The Royal Family is pretty humble, and they’re out all the time in the city when they can be. It’s just how it is in Erebor.”

“So...she...really is the Princess?” Nori asked slowly, still in some doubt.

“Mhmm. Aye. She’s King Thrain’s youngest, Princess Dis. Prince Thorin, he’s my best friend, and the eldest. The middle prince is Prince Frerin. Dis likes to come out to the city to shop and converse, Thorin comes out with me to guard, and Frerin...well...he comes out a lot.” Dwalin didn’t seem like he wanted to talk much about Frerin. 

Nori took all this in. He didn’t notice Dwalin’s sudden uncomfort about Frerin because he was still stuck on the Princess. He had literally just been talking to one of the most powerful dwarfs in the entire world. He was amazed and nervous. This definitely helped dissuade him from his previous life because if Dis and Dwalin ever found out he stole, he would be done, for good. Locked up in some deep dark cell forever. That frightened him, but also gave him confidence about the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I love comments, so feel free to talk to me and tell me how I'm doing.


	8. Dori and the Woodworker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dori isn't sure how much longer he can stand Balin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, trying to get more of this out faster because I still have a long story ahead of us.
> 
> I decided I wanted to get this chapter out sooner than intended because it takes place the same time as ch. 7.

Dori didn’t want anything to do with Balin, to be honest, but what he was getting out of simply going with the other, was too much to pass up. There was a part of him that felt somewhat sickly. Hadn’t he just gotten away from the last noble he was indebt to when he left the Blue Mountains? Now he felt like he was digging a new hole. No. Balin agreed he was in no debt. He wouldn’t allow Balin to add more than promised, either, not without a contract declaring he had absolutely no debt and that this was repayment in a way for Nori’s newly broken arm. A reasonable business decision and a fair contract to have should he ever end up in a court for money dispute with Balin. Dori would not allow himself to feel as though he couldn’t escape this new noble. Son of a Lord and the Captain of the Guard or not, he wouldn’t prostrate himself to anyone ever again.

“Is it much further?” Dori asked finally after about ten minutes of walking side by side and observing the streets of Erebor and marketplace as they passed through.

Balin had been silent, scribbling away in a red book clutched close to his chest with a dip pen. His shoulder bag was interesting, having a little outer compartment where a glass of ink sat in, open, so he could write as he walked. Dori suddenly noticed that there was no possible way Balin was paying any attention to where they were going. 

“Do you even have a clue where we are?” Dori was more than a tiny bit annoyed. He had his arms crossed tight with a small pout on his lips. They were still walking despite now neither of them were paying much attention to where they were headed. 

Balin looked up at him and blinked as if this was the first time he realized he was beside Dori. “Oh, hm? I’m sorry what was the question?”

Dori let out an annoyed huff. “Why should I have to repeat myself? It was your idea to come out, so why aren’t you even paying attention to where we are going?”

Balin finally looked around. He didn’t answer either of Dori’s questions, annoying the eldest Ri brother even more. “We’re going the wrong way.” Balin finally said after a long silence.

“Are you kidding me?! If you didn’t have your head in that book for a single second you would have noticed that! Forget it, I’m going home!” Dori yelled. His time was being wasted by this arrogant fool. At this point he wanted nothing to do with him.

“We can get the silverware and plates this way though.” Balin was calm. “Besides, we just missed a turn two alley ways ago. It won’t take long to back track.”

“We didn’t agree on silverware and plates, I don’t need it. I have things at home to use for that. You were supposed to get us to a woodworker for tables and chairs.” He wasn’t any less furious at Balin.

“Fair enough, but it’s a suggestion. Plus I have the money for it.” Balin started down an alleyway to the right. 

“I don’t need it.” Dori protested again. “Where are you going?” He called. 

“The woodworker. Come along now, Master Dori.” He called back.

“I told you I was going home!” Dori tapped his foot. Balin continued on. Being ignored upset Dori more so. He huffed and hurried after Balin, despite his previous statement. 

Once again they walked in silence as Balin was back to scribbling in his book. Dori wanted to rip that book from his fingers and tear it apart. But no. Dori didn’t do that. Instead he played along just as he had with any other noble he crossed paths with to get something out of it. Something he felt he needed. Or wanted. Mostly needed. There were some prices that were too harsh for him to pay, but walking with this imbecile to get furnishings for his shop was not one of them, no matter how annoyed he got with Balin.

“Would you be so kind as to watch where we are going, Lord Balin? I don’t know Erebor at all and I’d rather not be lost for the next five years.” Dori snapped.

“I’m paying attention now.” Balin replied, inwardly giddy over Dori’s reactions. He was messing with him at this point, knowing full well where they were every step of the way, and writing down Dori’s every action to be studied and evaluated later. Of course, he didn’t think of it as messing, it was reseach. An experiment. He wanted to know Dori’s every reason of action, his temper, his ability to collect himself, everything. He’d figure it out so that Dori would no longer be a surprise to him. He wouldn’t let his father or Ami in on it this time. Ami would call him selfish again and have his father put a stop to him being able to see Dori. 

He remembered the conversation he was forced into having with his Da before he left to meet Dori.

_“Balin, no studying this family. That is an order. Understood?” Fundin had flat out said to him._

_“I’m not studying the family, I’m studying the older brother. He intrigues me.” Balin had protested._

_Fundin sighed heavily and shook his head. “You may offer him help, but you are not allowed to, even for a second, to evaluate, study, determine anything about this dwarf, do you hear me Balin? Nothing. This is sick. You selfishly ruined the lives of two dwarfs because you seemed so very much into courting them when in fact you were only studying them for your pleasure.”_

_“I wasn’t studying the one girl, I was studying her mother. We were always with her mother when we were together, she should have realized that.”_

_“Balin. No. It doesn’t matter. I gave you an order and you are to follow it, am I clear? You worry me and Ami. You get into dwarfs’ heads. This one could grow to love you just like the other two. You will not use this dwarf. Understood?” His father had barked._

_Balin bowed his head in submission. “Yes Da…”_

It wasn’t sick or selfish. It was genuine curiosity. He wouldn’t follow a ridiculous order that was forced onto him. Besides, once he knew Dori’s every tick and feeling, he could correctly manipulate the situation to assure that Dori was treated kindly and was happy when his interest ended and he left the dwarf alone. 

“You had better be.” Dori muttered. 

“Nearly there.” Balin assured.

The woodworker’s shop was amazing. In front were large displays of animal carvings such as a giant boar, a bear painted black, and an eagle on its perch. There were also wooden tables, shelves, chairs, and a variety of other items, all displayed. They were watched and sold by two of his apprentices. So far it was well worth the walk and, Dori had to admit, the annoyance caused by Balin, to actually get here. 

“I’m guessing the Carving Master is inside?” Dori deduced.

“Right you are. He usually is well into his craft. He’s actually craft-wed, never took a husband or wife. Never will, probably, not unless they’re into wood as much as he is.” Balin chuckled at his double entendre. 

Dori rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, well let’s go in.” He briskly walked to the door.

“Master Dori, you need an appointment to get in.” Balin called after him.

Dori turned around and eyed him. “Then why did we come here today if we needed an appointment first?”

“I said you, not me. He’s my friend. Follow me.” Balin teased as he walked ahead of Dori.

Dori’s mouth gaped open, astonished by the gall and rudeness of Balin’s ‘joke’. He glared at Balin’s back as he followed in. Dori had met many nobles through his life but none were like Balin. Others were astounded by his beauty and catered his every whim. Perhaps, a bit lewd at times, but never anything like how Balin acted. Balin didn’t act one ounce charmed by him and didn’t even go a smidgen out of his way to hold the door open for him. If Balin wasn’t after Dori’s heart like every other noble he met, then why did Balin have any interest in helping him? It couldn’t be that he actually cared that Nori was hurt. No, he would have came knocking with Dwalin if that was the case. What did Balin want?

Inside was even better. Seeing sculptures and pieces in mid-creation were amazing. The work would eventually form into something like the beautiful pieces for sale outside. It smelt of the warm fireplace and reminded Dori of home in Ered Luin. They always kept the fireplace on, otherwise Mari and Nori grew chill too easily. It was a comforting, reminding him of lying down to bed in front of it. Nori, smaller, more innocent, cuddled close, trying to leech off his warmth as his eyelids slowly fell and fluttered, fighting sleep. 

_“Just let your eyes win.” Dori would whisper to him with a small laugh. “Its way past your bedtime, and mother would be upset if she knew you stayed up this late.”_

_Nori, slowed by tiredness, shook his head no. “All my dreams are nightmares, Dori...don’t make me go to sleep.”_

_“Shh, I kicked everyone out of the house an hour ago. It’s just you, me, and mother now, thank Mahal. You’re safe and warm. I have you, all your nightmares will be burned away in the fireplace tonight. I’ll replace them with some of my dreams.” Dori would begin to hum softly then._

_His little trusting brother gave one more yawn before burying his face against Dori’s chest and sleep immediately took him away._

_Dori never had dreams either._

_Nights like these, their sleep together was peaceful because it was dreamless. Nori would wake up in the morning, smiling. It was a better sleep than either of them got any other time._

Balin had already been talking to the woodworker while Dori stood by the fire. He brought out three different designed tables and two large deer hide arm chairs of different style to choose from. Balin went over to Dori and snapped his fingers in front of Dori’s face. “If I may so grab your attention, you have a choice to make, Master Dori.”

Dori glared at Balin’s hand in front of his face. Rude again. He couldn’t wait to rid himself of Balin. He wordlessly turned and went over to where the woodworker stood and looked at all his options. “They’re all lovely.” Dori complimented to him as he looked them over. “Your work is magnificent….Master…?”

“Just Mirin.” The woodworker beamed, happy with his crafted items. “No title. I don’t need it.”

“Well, they’re all magnificent, Mirin.” Dori smiled gently at him then looked back at Balin. Balin was back in his book, scribbling away again. Balin started towards the door and went outside to wait on Dori. Dori rolled his eyes and shook his head before looking back at Mirin. “I suppose everything is settled then? I just need to choose which pieces I want?” 

The woodworker nodded. “Aye. Balin was rather straightforward. He always his.” Mirin lowered his voice and got closer to Dori. “Between you and me, you don’t look too pleased with him.”

Dori nodded and kept his voice equally lowered. “I noticed and I’m not. I’m here for this and then hopefully not dealing with him again. His little brother broke my little brother’s arm. This is his apology, I suppose. I don’t like him. After this transaction, like I said, I won’t be dealing with him again.” Dori pointed to a table and chair. “These two are perfect. I’m guessing he told you the count we need?”

“Aye, Balin is pretty thorough with anything he does. And uh, it’s not my business, but the way you looked at him and how you speak of him, has me a bit rattled. You aren’t going to punch him, are you?” 

Dori blinked. “What? No. That would be...well I want to punch him, but I can refrain. He’s been rude all morning though..”

“Hmm, he may be doing that on purpose.” Mirin suggested.

“Why would he do that? Why would any dwarf want to do that? And how would you know him enough to know that?” Dori questioned.

“Well I do all of that family’s furniture and repair work. Fundin and his sons break a lot of tables. And I mean a lot. I could survive on sole business with them. So uh basically, Balin is here a lot to take care of it. I know him enough to know that guy can charm a woodland elf in a single sentence. His diplomacy and social skills are top notch. That’s why when Thorin becomes King, Balin will be his head Royal Advisor. I don’t know why he’d be rude to you, but I swear on my beard he knows better than that.” 

“Huh...nice to know...Thank you Mirin. I suppose I’ll see you very soon with the pieces.” That was some food for thought. What was wrong with Balin if he knew better? Actually, yesterday, and this morning, Balin had been absolutely charming. The change happened when they started off on their journey to this place. What was he playing at? Was this reverse psychology to get Dori to like him? Because if it was, it wasn’t working.

“Yes, they should be done in two weeks, Balin already has things settled and I put you ahead of a lot of my other clients because of him. I keep my best clients happy. Farewell.” 

“Oh, thank you Mirin. I will see you then.” Dori was immediately worried. Could their family survive two weeks on the little money they had? He could probably do it, but how much time after actually receiving the furniture would he need. He needed the store opened asap, but it seemed like the woodworker was already giving him a deal putting him ahead of other clients. There wasn’t much else to be done about it other than have everything else done by the time the furnishings were brought.

He went out to see Balin flipping pages through his book. He tried not to show it but Dori could tell he was looking at him out of the corner of his eye. What was Balin up to? Dori didn’t care if he found out or not, but it had better end soon. 

“Let’s go back, I believe mother had invited you to lunch?” Dori huffed.

Balin seemed to be smirking. “Yes, yes she did.” He said before they began to head back.

Dori decided he wouldn’t be trusting Balin any time soon. If that dwarf wanted anything to do with him, he would have to earn it. Until then, perhaps it was time for him to mess with Balin back? Or better yet, if he intended to stick around, make himself useful to Dori. If not, Balin could leave his life and he didn’t care one bit. Two could play at whatever this game was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading. I love comments, questions, feedback, and tag ideas for the story.


	9. Family Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Other chapter title option: In which Dwalin has a roller coaster of feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I suck at naming chapters. Oh wait, that's every chapter. 
> 
> Thank you soooo much for reading though. I appreciate every reader I have.

Dwalin and Nori took their time walking back. Most of the talk on the way to Nori’s home was about Erebor after a silence from the reveal of Dis being the princess. Dwalin felt a good rise in his chest at knowing that Nori and Dis had gotten along. There was a lot he did with the royal family and it meant that he might be able to actually take Nori around them. If Nori wanted that of course. He didn’t know how much the tiny redhead actually wanted to be around him. He accepted his help, but that could have been because of the injury. Dwalin hoped that it was because they had agreed to be friends instead of that reason. He would be a little upset if the beautiful redhead only wanted him around while he was hurt. Being around him so far had been nice. He hoped in the future it would continue to be this way, even if in the back of his head guilt was beginning to bubble up at the mention of Frerin. The way Nori smiled back at him while they went on their way, that took his mind away from such things and continued to make little butterflies flutter in his stomach.

Nori and Dwalin were the first to arrive back at the house. “Hey Mom, we’re home.” Nori called as they went in through the kitchen. 

Mari came from the sitting room. “Nori, sweetie, welcome home. You too, Dwalin, I hope you’re staying for lunch. A few neighbors came by to introduce themselves and dropped off two pies and a bunch of lovely sandwiches to welcome us to the neighborhood. We certainly won’t eat them all ourselves.” She beamed. “I already set up the room, although we only have a simple rocking chair, a low long table and cushions for sitting on…”

“That’s fine, I’m sure there was a lot you couldn’t take to Erebor, it’s such a long journey from the Blue Mountains. I don’t mind the floor at all.” Dwalin said as he put the bag of food on the counter. 

“They brought food? Is it safe? Is there a catch?” Nori frowned a bit, nervous. He didn’t trust anything they didn’t make or get from the market themselves.

“Safe?” Dwalin asked as he looked at the uncertainty plastered on Nori’s face. He looked scared. Dwalin’s protective instincts kicked in and he moved closer to Nori, on edge, prepared to do what he had to in order to keep him safe. “Why wouldn’t it be safe? What’s wrong? Did someone threaten you since you’ve been here?”

“No, no, stop both of you.” Mari said calmly as she went to the bag of groceries. She began to put items away while she spoke. “I apologize, Dwalin, you probably don’t understand. In Ered Luin, it’s common where we lived, in a run down neighborhood, for other dwarfs to poison or drug food items. It wasn’t a nice neighborhood. I’ve brought up both my sons to be weary about what they were given, but we’re away from it now. Erebor is cleaner, new, dwarfs are kinder and honest. The Blue Mountains is a mixed colony with Humankind, there was more to worry about there with our guard more relaxed.”

Dwalin nodded slowly. “I think...I understand. I’ve seen Ered Luin with my father on a few trips. It doesn’t seem to be a happy settlement.”

“It’s not…” Nori said in a quiet voice.

Dwalin turned back to look at Nori while he spoke. “My father is looking into that right now. If it’s as you say, we’ll fix it. It’s our job. Guards of the Blue Mountains and Iron Hills settlements report to Erebor. This shouldn’t be happening. Your neighbor dwarfs should be there to help your community, not hurt it.” 

“Well it is.” Nori’s eyes fell to the floor. He looked as though he was stricken. 

There was a pang of pain that flashed through Dwalin’s chest at seeing Nori’s face like this. He put a hand on the redhead’s shoulder then the other under his chin to gently tilt his head back up towards Dwalin. “I will fix it. And I will protect you. I promise. When I promise something, it happens.” 

Nori blushed a bit and tried to look away. “You don’t...understand the promise you’re trying to make. Dwalin, it’s much worse than you think it is.” He stepped back away from Dwalin’s hands.

“Maybe not, but I still swear it. I’ll fix Ered Luin and I’ll show you that living in Erebor is like a good dream. You have nothing to fear.” Dwalin insisted.

Mari broke their talk. “You boys got an awful lot of lemons.” 

“Huh?” Dwalin was confused at the sudden topic change. Wasn’t it good he was promising what he was? “Um...yeah, Nori didn’t know what they were...so I got more. So he could try them.”

“That sounds wonderful. Did I give Nori enough money for everything?” She asked.

“Oh, yeah, it was fine.” Dwalin replied.

“Let’s go into the next room and wait for Mom.” Nori said as he turned and went into the sitting room. 

Dwalin gave Mari one last look before following. “Um, what was that about, I thought she wanted to talk about Ered Luin.”

“Well...she probably did, but she does that when she realizes she’d going to stress. She’s carrying our baby brother or sister still...stress isn’t good for her. It makes her feel sick, and she’s already bed ridden most of the day with this pregnancy. Her last two ended up being...miscarriages...so we’re all trying really hard to be careful with this one. The trip here was hard for her…” Nori said as he sat down on a large cushion on the floor in front of the table holding the pies, plates of varying types and colours, utensils, and a big platter of sandwiches.

Dwalin respectfully bowed his head. “I’m sorry, I had no clue. I hope that your brother or sister comes with no complications and is a healthy babe.” He took a pause before going on. “It doesn’t sound safe to raise a babe in those conditions. Is...that why you all came to Erebor? To keep this one safe?” The bigger dwarf asked as he sat next to Nori on another cushion.

Well that was half true, so Nori nodded. “Yeah, so this one can grow up in a better home than Dori and I had to.”

Dwalin smiled weakly. “I understand. If you and your family need help...you understand that I’m-”

“Yes!” Nori exclaimed and finally smiled. “I get it, you want to keep me and my family safe.”

“Damn right.” Dwalin’s smile developped into a real one as he said that. 

“I….really, really appreciate it. Just so you know. I never met anyone like you, who wasn’t looking for anything out of it.” Nori looked down at the set table of food, blushing once more.

“I hope you know the more and more you speak, the worse and worse Ered Luin is sounding. Maybe you could talk with my father and we can assemble some type of troop to travel and fix things there. No dwarf should be worried about what they’re eating. The kindness of their fellow dwarfs shouldn’t come into question either.” The guard suggested.

“You’d...really try to do that with me?” Nori looked back up into Dwalin’s eyes, beaming at him.

“Abso…” Dwalin’s heart felt like it had just melted. The hopeful eyes, giant smile. Nori was the image of perfect innocence. Everything in Dwalin just felt as though it suddenly stopped. Then in everything lurched forward like an explosion. Oh no. This feeling in him was definitely not supposed to exist. “...lutely…” His heart felt like it was beginning to race, could Nori hear it? This shouldn’t be happening. He wiped his palms on his lap as they started to sweat and the joints in his fingers seemed to seize up. It was hard not to develop a crush, even though he hardly knew him. Everything felt absolutely right, while at the same time was incredibly wrong, at the worst timing possibly. He couldn’t let himself abuse the fact he now was what was giving Nori some hope for his old home to act on his crush. It didn’t help that the guilt about Frerin was rising up again, either.

“Dwalin…?” Nori’s smile fell as he noticed Dwalin seemed paralyzed. 

“Mother, we’re home.” Dori called as he came in through the storefront with Balin. 

They went through the store to the sitting room as Mari came into it from the kitchen.

“How did everything go?” Mari asked as she went and took a seat in the rocking chair at the end of the low table, finished with groceries.

“Very well.” Balin answered for Dori when the other dwarf was about to speak. 

Dori grumbled and sat down across from Nori. He grabbed a plate and filled it with two sandwiches, handing it to his mother so she wouldn’t have to lean over for something to eat.

“That’s wonderful, have a seat Balin, deary. Lunch is served.” Mari said cheerily.

“Thank you very much.” Bain said as he sat down across from his brother and grinned at him. Dwalin smiled back half-heartedly.

Most of lunch consisted of Dori’s trip to the woodworker and him explaining all the magnificent pieces he had seen there in vivid detail to his mother and the questioning of Dwalin’s window climb which left Dwalin blushing red with embarrassment at his behaviour. It seemed like Balin and Mari were laughing the whole half hour dedicated to that lovely questioning session while Nori gave his brother a smirk. Every question Dwalin looked like he was begging to be bailed out by his brother.

It was nearly one in the afternoon when their lunch ended.

Mari yawned. “Well my lovelies, I’m off for a nap. I feel exhausted, but Dwalin, Balin, it was wonderful to meet you boys and I’m very glad you came here. I very much so hope to see you both again.” She slowly got up from her spot. “Dori, Nori, would you be kind enough as to do the dishes?”

“Of course mother.” Dori smiled. “I’ll wake you later for dinner.”

Nori nodded. “Dori will wash, I’ll put stuff away.” He looked at his broken arm. “I shouldn’t have too much trouble if I open the cabinets first…” 

“Goodbye loves.” She headed upstairs. 

Balin stretched and took his wind-up pocket watch from his pocket. “What time did you have to be at the training fields, Dwalin?” 

Dwalin had been smiling and looking at Nori when he was asked. “Oh, twelve thirty.” He murmured.

“It’s one o’clock.” Balin raised an eyebrow at him, smirking.

“What?! Oh Mahal, I have to run.” Dwalin said as he quickly got up. “I'm so sorry, Nori, save the lemons, we’ll have them another time.” 

Nori tried getting up. “Okay, wait, I want to walk you to the door!” He said quickly. It was hard to do with one arm. 

Dwalin carefully reached down, grabbed onto his sides and picked him upright. “Um, there you go, but now I really, really have to go.” He said as he headed towards the kitchen doorway. 

Nori followed swiftly after him. “Okay, but I'll see you again? When?” 

“Soon. Tomorrow. I promise.” Dwalin told him while he stood in the doorframe. He smiled at the redhead. “We’ll go over everything that you know of happening at the Blue Mountains and we’ll write it down formally so my Da can read it. Everything will be fixed.”

Nori beamed at him. “Alright. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.” 

“Goodbye.” Dwalin said and sprinted out the door. Thorin was going to kill him, but the last smile he had from Nori left him in a good mood.

Back in the sitting room Dori stared at Balin. “Aren't you going, too?”

“I have no plans for the day.” Balin replied as he sipped some tea that Mari had made and laid out with the rest of the food. 

“Well our business is done and I have some plans with my brother, so goodbye Lord Balin.” Dori said rudely, pushing to have Balin leave.

“Alright, I understand. I'll be back tomorrow, Master Dori.” Balin stood up from his spot.

“You have no reason to come back tomorrow. Am I really not making myself clear?” Dori stood with him and crossed his arms. “I don't like you intruding into my life. You've been rather rude and you have no place being here.” 

“I sincerely apologize for my actions today that have offended you. I would really like to continue to help with your business, though.” Balin insisted. He grinned at Dori. “I mean it.”

“You see, when I hear you say it like that, I don't believe your apology is worth shit. You're messing with me, and I don't appreciate it. Leave or I will contact your father. He seemed like a decent man, I'm sure he wouldn't defend your current behavior.” Dori wouldn’t allow this dwarf to continue violating his personal space and making him feel uncomfortable, it wasn’t right. Balin was making this rather hard.

Balin tensed. If his father knew how he had acted, he certainly would not be pleased. He knew he had been rude, it was part of his experiment. Maybe that wasn't the best idea. “So…” Balin cleared his throat. “I think I'll be taking my leave. But I will be back, with paint, tomorrow for the walls of the store. Completely free of debt to you of course. Any particular colour? After that I could leave you be, deal?”

“Oh really? That’s it and you’ll leave me be?” Dori’s arms stayed crossed tight as he tapped his foot.

“Absolutely.” Balin insisted.

The mention of free paint unfortunately tempted him. He'd have to figure out tomorrow, because if he had to guess, it would still not be the end of seeing Balin. “ Deal. I suppose. Lilac. Or baby blue. Light colours make a place seem bigger.” He led Balin out into the store front. “Now leave.” Dori decided that was probably for the best of his store and he would definitely make sure he figured out the future.

“Right…” Balin went off, taking out his book as he did so.

Dori closed the store behind him and stormed into the kitchen, growing red with frustration and huffing. “I can't stand him!”

Nori jumped, startled by his brother. “What? Who? Not Dwalin, right?”

“I was referring to Balin, but Dwalin, too, I suppose.” Dori rubbed his face and tried to calm down. 

“No, not Dwalin too.” Nori said and went over to hug him. “I understand if you're upset but don't also be mad at Dwalin when it's Balin who has you pissed off. I like Dwalin...he's sweet.” 

“You like Dwalin? Really? He's a guard.” The elder brother asked.

Nori stepped back and nodded. “Yeah, surprisingly. He's not like an Ered Luin guard at all. He has been nothing but apologetic for this…” He gestured to his broken arm.

“He treated you kindly…?” Dori raised an eyebrow in question.

“Extremely.” Nori said with another nod. 

“...then alright. Not Dwalin. I was pretty hard on him this morning and during lunch. We don’t know him. It still scares me he's in such a powerful position.” Dori admitted.

“Yeah, but he wants to help with the Blue Mountains. He said he and his Da want to do something about it and we’re going to write a list of stuff to present to his Da. Not that I'm going to let them know Vikis is my Sire, but I'm going to tell them about him and maybe some of his hiding spots…you saw how Fundin treated the two guards that hit on us when we were in the palace. But, that's how I know Dwalin is good, if he had any bad in him he wouldn't insist to help put a stop to it.” Nori looked hopeful again. Something Dori wasn't used to seeing.

The elder brother nodded a bit. “I’m not sure you can judge a person in a day. I'll apologize to him about this morning…and lunch...just know that even if he wants to help or they try there's no guarantee that we can do much about Vikis.” 

“I know, but, it's sweet he wants to help, and maybe this could send a message to him and the Blue Mountain guard that let him get away with so much shit. They're corrupt, but without me, my sire will have a damn tough time getting them to obey him. With Erebor adding more of a squeeze on them, maybe they’ll start turning on my sire and make things harder for him to control.” Nori wanted a bit of revenge on his sire for sure. If this could benefit others dwarfs living in poverty that were still stuck there, that was a wonderful bonus. 

“Just be careful. I don't want any trouble for you. This could cause trouble if you don’t handle it carefully, maybe I should be there with you.” Dori didn’t like that Nori had mentioned the part that without him, Vikis would had trouble controlling the guard. He didn’t want to know what Nori did to help Vikis.

“I know, Dori, but I can do this. I look more like Mother, don’t I? If...Fundin knows Vikis, he wouldn’t guess me a child of his?”

“Yes, thankfully you and I have the same red hair she used to have before it turned mithril. The only big thing you got from Vikis is that nose of yours...and a bit of your sharper features.” Dori told him hesitantly. 

“Is it really...noticeably like his? And do you think my hair will turn soon?” Nori asked. 

“Your appearance is fine, you’re still much too different from him. I don't think it will change, mine has yet to. I mean if it changed you’d still look very beautiful, but the red suits you better.”

Nori played with some loose hairs that had made it out from his braid. “I hope it sticks around for a while. I don’t know if I would like mine silvery...I might dye it red with henna blocks if it ever starts fading soon. I love my red. Now what's wrong with Balin?” 

Dori finally went to collect dishes with Nori in tow. “He’s incredibly manipulative. I can’t stand it. I know he’s messing with me somehow and I think it has something to do with that book he is writing in.”

Nori grabbed a few plates with his good hand. It was a bit hard to do but he managed. “Then mess with him back. If he’s going to be that way. I didn’t really get to see him enough to know what he’s like.” 

“I could mess with him, towards him leaving I was pretty rude back. It’s just needless hassle! I don’t like dealing with it. I put up with so much in the Blue Mountains, I had hoped here would be different.” Dori huffed.

“Hm. Dori, did he offer to get you something and come back? And since I know the answer is probably yes, I’m guessing you accepted that as well.” 

“I...yes.” Dori blushed a bit, embarrassed after realizing where Nori was going with this before he said anything. 

“You should have just said no.” Nori was a bit annoyed. Dori always did this. Gave in to others then got upset about it later.

“You have no clue how hard it is to decline people like Balin. They’ll try every trick in the book to get to you.”

“That’s why you can’t say yes at any point. I do know Dori, there’s tons of dwarfs and humans who acted like that in the Blue Mountains. I was being offered this and that for a kiss, a touch, a night in the sheets. You literally just keep saying no until they give up. And if they don’t give up...well, the Erebor Guardsmen seem to actually be useful here. You don’t have to stand for his behaviour.” 

“Well what am I supposed to do about things now? He’s coming tomorrow with paint.” 

“Well. If you’re going to keep having him around so you can keep getting shit we don’t need from him in the slightest, do it on your terms. Maybe he’ll get fed up and go away on his own. Like I said, mess with him back.” Nori reiterated. 

“That’s an idea. How do you think I should do it though?”

“You mentioned a book you think is important? Balin doesn’t seem like the type to do much physical work himself. Okay, I may have an idea that will either work in your favour, or well, at least annoy him for your enjoyment.” Nori smirked deviously.

“...I’m listening.” Replied the elder brother.

It took the boys a few trips back and forth, while they came up with the plan, to get all the dishes to the sink and the food they could save put away. By the end of it Dori was quite pleased with what they had came up with and now eagerly awaited tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading.
> 
> I love comments, questions, kudos, concerns, queries, and tag ideas. Feel free to add any below.


	10. Mari's Past ((TW!))

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mari's flashback to the past. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING!!! 
> 
> SOME VIOLENCE/DOMESTIC ABUSE
> 
> AND MINOR CHARACTER DEATH!!!
> 
> PLEASE DON'T READ IF EITHER OF THESE THINGS TRIGGER YOU!!! 
> 
> I CARE ABOUT WELL BEING OF MY READERS!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this being like 8 months over due. I thought I had life settled but then I didn't? 
> 
> School and work just became my life.
> 
> Anyways, this took much too long to write and is extremely long. I hope you enjoy.

Back up in her room, Mari was thinking of what to tell her sons about why they hadn’t left the Blue Mountains earlier. They no doubt wondered why they put up with Vikis for years despite the abuse and punishment. Perhaps she would just have to start at the beginning.

_It began long ago, when Bardur, an old guard came into her life._

_After her mother finally passed away from a battle with sickness, Mari had to support herself. After being on the streets for a couple months, she found home in the companion’s guild._

_They took her in as a cleaner. They treated her with kindness. Fed her. Gave her a room of her own. They didn’t ask her to use her body to charm dwarfs, not even once._

_It was her choice to move up to becoming a companion. It meant better pay, a nicer room, and an exotic array of clothing. Altogether, a more peaceful life if you didn’t mind what you had to do to keep it._

_She grew to enjoy her arrangement. She didn’t have total choice of her customers, but she could say no to any dwarf if they were asking for something she was not comfortable with. Being young and pretty helped with the choice part though. There were usually two or more dwarfs arguing for her on the nights she worked. She could whisper to the guild master which of the ones she wanted, and more often than not she got her way. It meant Mari had been able to secure her own bit of control._

_After three years of working at the guild, an old soldier, with a low-ranking guard position and strength beyond belief, walked into her life and stole her heart._

_Bardur had come for, what she had thought at the time was a quick tumble, late in the night. It had been her day off. The guild was strict about keeping their members rested and healthy, but all other companions were asleep or entertaining. Her guild master said she’d throw her a few more coins her way if she could take him tonight. Mari was on the verge of saying no, when their eyes met. There was something soft about his eyes, nothing carnal like most the men and women who walked into the guild this late at night._

_When she led him to her room, there was no demands made or jittery nerves as she was used to with new clientele. He was rather quiet and quick to remove his pack, belt, and boots and simply sit on the bed. The night went quietly and soft. She never made it to taking any of her night clothes off, they had just tumbled into bed and played chaste. Mari had at one point, made a show of being ready to undress for him, but he stopped her with a pull to his side and buried his face in her hair. It was more intimate than anything she’d experienced since being a companion. Mari didn’t know how to take it. They fell asleep, curled together in silence and comfort. It had been the most peaceful rest she had since her mother’s passing._

_The next morning he had tried to apologize for his actions, including for sleeping there, but she wouldn’t hear of it._

_Mari insisted he come back._

_So he did._

_He came back that night. And the next. And the next after that._

_He always paid far too much, spent the night, and ate breakfast in the morning. The guild didn’t say a word as long as they were paid._

_Her old clientele were upset, but the guild master worked with her to send them to other companions. She did have to take a couple day shifts to please them, but that fixed things._

_It wasn’t until couple months into it, after starting to share whispers and stories and learned about one another, that they finally had sex. Or as Mari preferred to think of it, made love. It felt meaningful to her, more than any tumble she had ever experienced. It was hard to figure out when they crossed the line from two dwarfs that found comfort together to falling in love._

_When he started bring flowers and presents, the guild master finally had to step in. Mari couldn’t be courted, not while she was a companion. There were rules against it, if she wanted to court and marry, it had to be after she was retired, or buy out her guild contract. Unfortunately, the money her loving guard had used to finance their long affair didn’t leave him with much savings. He’d have to stop seeing her to save the money. Otherwise he couldn’t afford her cost for two years, the minimum for buying a dwarf from the guild._

_The guild wanted to see her happy, but rules were rules, so she came up with another idea._

_Soon she stopped taking the herbs that prevented pregnancy that the guild required. She stopped seeing her clients in the day. A month later, a bump on her belly was beginning to form. Another rule broken. Normally, the guild would let it slide, keep the barer and child if this had happened. Herbs just didn’t work with some dwarfs, but in Mari’s case, the master let her go. Everyone knew the truth and they all believed Bardur had paid more than a fair share the past months he had been with her. No one was upset by what had taken place, but it meant she was out of the guild for good and could not return._

_By the end of the week, the two had married._

_Their life changed dramatically for the better after that. Bardur was offered a better paying job because of his service in the army. It was a high ranking position in the Guard of the Blue Mountains. After a quick discussion both agreed they could use a change. Although they loved Erebor, neither had any family left alive or anything else to keep them there. In the Blue Mountains they could get a little cottage. Mari could have a garden and keep a happy, warm house to raise their future son or daughter. Bardur could provide for them and hunt in the neighboring forests so they wouldn’t have to buy meat in the marketplace. They could build a better life._

_Making that dream a reality wasn’t hard at all. They pulled together Mari’s bit of savings from the guildwork and Bardur’s last bit of money he had from working a few extra shifts. With that, they were able to pay for their travel in a caravan to the Mountains and a little cottage on the west side of Ered Luin they would sign for when they got there. Everything went without a hitch and very soon Mari gave birth to a beautiful, pudgy baby boy._

_When it was time to name him, Bardur insisted he be named for Mari._

_“Why shouldn’t my son be named after the person I treasure most?” Bardur insisted._

_“Because it isn’t what’s done, my love. If he were a she, then I would understand naming by my line but-”_

_“Shhh, Mari.” Bardur interrupted her. “I want my babe to know his mother is so special to me, that he was given the honor to carry her family line.” He gave her a loving smile, and assured her this was right._

_Dori._

_Dori became the most precious treasure that Mari and Bardur shared. Mari was never without her babe and as soon as Bardur got home from work, the three were inseparable._

_For ten years they went on teaching and caring for their little one and each other, until one night after Dori was put down to bed._

_“There's Orcs gathered around the northern forest outside Ered Luin.” Bardur said in a hushed whisper. “Or...so our captain believes.”_

_“What are they doing so close to here?” Mari was surprised and immediately felt a chill run down her spine. “....what is the Captain thinking of doing about it?”_

_Bardur didn't answer for a few minutes. They sat in silence as Mari felt more anxious._

_“The Captain has picked me to take a group of guards and clear them out. Kill every last one of them.”_

_“That should be easy and quick, shouldn't it? How long will you be gone? You've fought against them in past wars...a few Orcs-” She kept herself calm until she was interrupted. It wasn’t as if it was the first time her husband had been sent off for a short period of time._

_“We don't know how many there are. The captain is only giving me a fraction of the men I asked for and not a single archer. He doesn't believe we need one since we’ll be in the close confines of the forest and an arrow could ricochet off a tree and end up harming one of our own.”_

_“....isn't that true…?” Mari asked softly. It seemed sensible._

_“Yes, but if they had any wargs barreling down the tree line, I’d feel more comfortable with a quick arrow drawn to meet it before it plowed one of our men down.” Bardur looked around the house shiftily. “If there are any…”_

_“Oh. What do you mean though? I’m sorry...I don’t know much about this.”_

_“It’s alright. I don’t expect you to. It’s my job to keep you and the dwarrows of our home safe.” Bardur pulled her closer to him. “...I don’t trust our captain, there’s something fishy going on. I also don’t like that we’re living on the edge of the woods if there are Orcs around. I’ve made arrangements...we’re packing tonight. We’re moving into the middle of town. I’m sorry. I know you’ll lose your garden, our beautiful home, but maybe we could pot some of the plants and grow them indoors. I’ll leave you a nice chunk of our savings to do with as you please to make this new one feel like home. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you and Dori alone in the house anymore. Not so close to the woods where you both could just...disappear. I think having some close neighbors would do some good.”_

_“Whatever you think is best, I trust.” She frowned a bit. “I love this house...but safety for our little one and each other are priority…” It did hurt to know that he had decided this without her, but something about how he was fidgeting and the look in his eyes told her that this was nothing to fight about. Something was coming._

_They moved the next day, immediately. The guards who were going with her husband were the ones that helped them move. She had hosted these few men and women in their home before. They were all a lively sort, good-natured and ready to do whatever they could to keep Ered Luin a safe and happy place._

_Not one of them was smiling. Well, they of course smiled for little Dori when he would run around and tug on tunics, asking questions, being the curious little dwarrow he was. He was so cute to watch. Her heart was warmed to see her little one so excited and jubilant about the move._

_Other than those fake smiles they gave, to keep her babe happy, their whole attitudes were grim as if they were in a funeral march. Every second she ran into Bardur moving items, she was met with a kiss from her husband, as if it were the last she would get._

_The next day, when he was to leave, it seemed as he had held onto them for an eternity. Dori squirmed, growing tired of being kept in a tight hug by his father for such a long time. Mari couldn’t hold onto him long enough, fear built up in her from the display yesterday and the way he had held and loved her all night long in their new home._

_“Keep your Mama safe, Dori.” Bardur whispered when it was finally time to leave._

_“Kay, but when are you getting back?” Dori asked while he teetered back and forth on his feet, ready to run inside and play in their new home._

_“...Soon.” Bardur gave him a tired smile and a kiss on the head before going back to give Mari one last hug._

_“Bye Daddy!” Dori chimed and skipped back inside, carefree._

_“When are you really coming back?” Mari asked in a harsh whisper after Dori was gone, not ready to let go of her husband yet._

_He was quiet. Bardur simply rubbed her back and held her._

_“...Just don’t go.” Mari’s voice cracked as she spoke._

_“I can’t. If I don’t go, I risk you and Dori.” He whispered back to her._

_“Most of our stuff is still in boxes. Let’s just run. The Iron Hills or anywhere. It doesn’t matter. As long as the three of us are together, anywhere is home. Even if we have to run forever.” Her eyes filled with tears._

_“It’s too late, they’d be faster than us. Even now they’re watching. We can’t run. I’m going to keep you and Dori safe. I’ll talk to them, I’ll beg. I’ll try to make it back to you...If I don’t, take the savings, leave here, protect Dori.”_

_“”You’re so strong, I’ve seen you lift the boulders by our old house, double your size for my garden to get sun. Who are ‘they’? What did you do?” Mari’s voice hiccuped and faded at the end. She pressed her face against his chest. “Why can’t we fight?”_

_“I can’t risk either of you...I learned more than I should. I’ll do my best. I love you.” He pushed her back gently and kissed her forehead. “I love you and Dori so much.”_

_“...I-I love y-you…” She whispered shakily._

_That was the last time she saw him._

_Not one of the guards sent or him made it back. Not their bodies, not anything._

_Mari was visited by the second in command of the guard to notify her of his disappearance and was left alone to grieve._

_She had fallen into a depression for a few days. Explaining what had happened to his father, to Dori, was the hardest thing she had to do. They laid together in what should have been Bardur’s and her bed for hours. She only left the house to get groceries with Dori._

_It had been another two years, she couldn’t bring herself to leave yet, living off money she made after she sold the cottage by the woods and their savings. This was where she and Bardur shared a strong love. How could she leave that behind?_

_Mari ignored Bardur’s warning._

_She regretted that choice. Bardur must have been sure she would be attacked after they made him go away, but she hadn’t been. A few families from some of the other guards had mysteriously disappeared, but her and her son kept to their home and were untouched, but now she saw she needed to go for a different reason._

_Dwarrows were beginning to get sick. Children and the elderly seemed to be having a tougher time with it. She thought she was safe because Dori and her had hardly been in contact with other dwarfs._

_She was wrong._

_Both her and Dori fell ill. She felt like her luck had ran out with Bardur’s death. The guardsmen called it merely a ‘disappearance,’ but she knew the truth. She didn’t have much savings left, but she took the rest of the money out to immediately bring her and her son to the healers._

_They gave them medicine, she got better but it wasn’t enough for Dori. He would need more. Unfortunately, she was left with no money left._

_Winter had begun to fall and Dori was getting worse._

_Her babe would spend the day, coughing and pale in bed. Blood was beginning to show up in his handkerchief. She didn’t have much food left but bread, some milk, and eggs. Every day he was getting weaker._

_“Mama…” Came the small hoarse voice from her babe._

_“Mama is here, my love. Have some water, baby.” She said softly as she sat down on the edge of his bed. She rubbed his cheek gently then helped him to sit up and drink slowly._

_Afterwards he fell back down against the bed like a brick. “...Mama, am I gonna get better?”_

_“Of course, my little Dori. You will. Getting better takes time.” She lied. Mari forced herself not to tear up._

_Dori beat her to it. Big wet tears dripped from the sides of his eyes. “I don’t feel like I’m gonna…” Her babe whispered. He shook and began to cough._

_She held him tightly. “It will be okay. It will.” Mari repeated over and over again to him._

_She laid with him until his crying put him to sleep for the night._

_After he fell asleep she got up and went out to the kitchen. She went to the window and opened it so she could take fresh fallen snow from the windowsill and melt it into water. She frowned at the dwarrow tracks left out the window from boys and girls, who must have only ran home as the sun set not too long ago. All of them were healthy, unlike her son. Their families could afford to medicate them and keep them alive. What could she do to keep her son alive? What left did she have to sell? She had no craft. She had asked around for job openings at stores and stalls, but no dwarf would hire someone they didn’t know. She couldn’t let him die. She couldn’t lose the last thing important to her._

_That’s when she heard noise from outside._

_In a moment there was a scruffy black haired dwarf with a big burlap sack in his left hand that burst through her door and slammed it shut behind him. He dove behind the kitchen’s island table and dropped the bag in the process. Out popped a few jewels and coins. Her eyes went wide. He shoved them back in the bag as there was a pounding on the front door. The dwarf looked up at her with worried eyes and met hers._

_It only took a second in her head for everything to click into place._

_Mari briskly walked towards the door and opened it to see four guards. “He ran through the window!” She yelled and pointed to the window she had previously opened. The guards immediately ran through the house and jumped out the back window. They split up to follow all those footprints other dwarfs left and in a moment were gone. They didn’t see the thief hiding around the table._

_She closed and locked the front door then went to hurry and close the window and draw the curtains. She turned to the thief on her floor. “Hello there.” She said sweetly._

_The dwarf stood up in disbelief and looked around. “Aye, er...hello. Lass. Did you really just...by Mahal’s beard.”_

_“I did. You seemed to be in a bit a of trouble. It looked like you could use a friend.” She got closer to him slowly and studied his face and body language as he chuckled and got up. His features were sharp as the knives she noticed attached to his belt. She decided to proceed with caution, she needed at least a gem. “What’s so funny?”_

_“I’ve plenty of friends, lass, we just got a bit separated...Although I could always do with one more.” He eyed her up and down. He studied her just as she studied him. “Hm, never had a dwarrowdam stick her neck out for me who wasn’t family…’specially not one so...lovely…What would your husband think?” He asked cautiously._

_“Absolutely nothing...He can’t, not anymore...he’s in Mahal’s great halls now.” She frowned a bit, a pain had ran through her chest when she thought of him._

_“No replacement? You’re much too beautiful to really be a widow.” The dwarf in front of her looked completely relax now. “Or does something scare suitors away? Any children?”_

_“I’m not looking for a replacement. There aren’t any suitors...and just one...he’s sick.” She finally got close enough to put a hand gently on his arm, the one that held the bag of jewels and coins. “We’re friends now, right? Friends help friends. I made those guards go away...and you have such a large bag of goodies, couldn’t you spare two or three of those pretty gems and help my babe and I out?” She asked sweetly._

_He put his other arm around her and pulled her close as he grinned. “Oh, I think I could, sweetheart. Just a friend, helping a friend. Have a name? I’m Vikis, son of Hakis, at your service. Maybe you could help me a bit more and I could help you a bit more.”_

_“Maybe. I’m Mari. What did you have in mind...darling?” She smiled sweetly._

_What mattered right now was getting what she needed keep Dori alive. It’s not like she didn’t work as a companion for years. She would do anything for Dori. So, she wrapped her arms around Vikis’ neck and held onto him, letting him keep her closer, no matter how much it pained her to do so after Bardur’s death. It was for Dori._

_The next morning when she woke up, he was still there, snoring away in her bed next to her. She quietly got up from bed and put on a robe, then went and found his bag of riches in the corner of the room. Mari snatched a nice size ruby from the top and hurried out to the living room to hide it, in case Vikis didn’t keep his end of this ‘deal.’_

_After that she worked on making breakfast, throwing her last bit of coals in the oven so she could fry eggs and toast bread._

_“Miss Mari, hope this is fine.” Called a voice from behind her._

_Mari turned to see Vikis. He had put his tunic and trousers back on and was also wearing Bardur’s old robe. That made Mari’s eyes go wide. She swallowed what she wanted to scream at him since she still needed his help. “Why are you wearing that?” She asked calmly._

_“I figured this was a fair enough trade from that gem you took from my bag.” He chuckled and started striding towards her._

_Mari froze._

_“Oh calm down, I won’t spite you. Sick little babe in the next bedroom over. Scary ole thief you know nothing about with your only chance to save him. Who could blame you? I am a good man of my word though. I’ll give you five pretty gems to go with the one you stole, sweetheart.” He threw his arms around her waist. “Anyone ever tell you you’re a gem yourself?”_

_“...Too many times to count.” She said softly. She looked away from him, instead at the eggs that were cooking._

_“Course you have, your too pretty not to have.” He nuzzled her cheek and moved down to kiss her neck, sending shivers down her spine._

_“...I take it the night was pleasing?” Mari asked as she took the frying pan off the stove._

_“Extremely. Mind if I take a piece of toast for the road? I need to go let my buddies know I’m not jailed.” Vikis hummed._

_“That’s fine.” She took a deep breathe. “Please leave my husband’s robe here...he’s gone but it means something to me…”_

_“Alright, sweetheart.” He kissed her cheek and went to go get his coat, boots, and bag. After he left the robe on the bed, he went and put five gems in a line on the table. “There we go. How about a kiss for the road, Miss Mari?” Vikis grinned._

_Mari gathered the gems off the table and put them inside a pocket on her own robe. “How could I possibly say no?” She took his piece of toast to hand to him and kissed his lips gently._

_He hummed happily and kissed her back. “Hope your son is as pretty as you are, Miss Mari. I bet anything you make is beautiful. I’ll be seeing you around, sweetheart.” He said and trotted out of her house._

_She sighed, shut the door, and locked it. The night wasn’t terrible. In fact, it felt wonderful to have a warm body against hers. He wasn’t rough, in fact, he was somewhat tender and it lasted longer than she expected. She smiled to herself. It didn’t matter._

_Dori came out of the bedroom. “Mama?” He sniffled and went over to Mari and hugged her leg. “I’m feeling worse.”_

_“Dori! Baby, you shouldn’t be up from bed.” She quickly picked him up and held him. “Mama is going to get you medicine today, promise. Everything is going to be okay, today is the last day you’ll feel this horrible. Mama is going to fix everything.” She kissed his head._

_She would be saving her babe._

_In the next few days, Mari was able to get a small fortune for the gems. She had money for food and medicine. Her little babe began to get better so quickly. By the end of the week Dori was running around the house, playing with balls of yarn Mari had bought for knitting._

_That was when there was a knock at the door._

_Mari went to the door, smiling. She wasn’t sure who would be knocking. She didn’t have any friends, just her babe. She opened it and there was Vikis, leaning against the door frame._

_“Hello, Miss Mari.” Vikis winked._

_Maybe one friend._

_“How’s that babe of yours?” He asked._

_“He’s wonderful.” She stepped aside so Vikis could look in and see Dori jumping around, laughing, and throwing the yarn ball in the air. “Mister Vikis, thank you. I thought I was going to lose him. I’m glad we could help each other.” Over the past few days, she decided she was glad she had met him. Mahal had to have had sent Vikis to her to save Dori._

_“Aye, it was quite a night.” He stood up straight. “Miss Mari, if I can be honest with you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since the other night. Hope I’m not crossing any lines coming here, but I couldn’t help but come see you again.”_

_“Oh.” Mari blushed and looked down. Would it be wrong to admit she had been thinking of him in that way, too? It was so lonely just her and Dori. “Would you like to come in for dinner?”_

_“I’d love to.” His smile looked so sincere and he spoke so sweetly._

_She looked back at Dori then back to him. “It’s...it’s okay that I have Dori, a son…? You still want to...” She trailed off._

_“I love children.” He reached out and touched her shoulder gently. “And...for your peace of mind, I don’t intend to bring thief stuff around him.”_

_“...Promise?” She asked hesitantly._

_“Promise.”_

_Mari should have known she had just let a wolf in very badly sewn sheep’s clothing into her home._

_That’s not what she was thinking about though._

_Would it be horrible if she wanted a man around the house? She missed someone her own age. She loved conversation with her son, but it was nice to be able to talk about things she couldn’t with Dori. Was it wrong if she wanted Dori to be able to have a father figure? Even if he was a thief. Bardur would want her and Dori to live, be happy, and feel like a complete family, no matter what, right? Even if that meant help from someone he would have jailed. Right?_

_Lying to herself was hard but every night that Vikis stayed, pushed her worry and guilt from her head._

_In the next two months to come, he was there often with coins and gems to spare. Mari fixed up the house and began an indoor garden to show Dori how to care for and grow plants. Vikis brought enough money she could send Dori to basic schooling. Maybe he could begin a craft after it. While he was at school she kept busy baking treats. She even made a tiny bakery stand outside her house, with Vikis’ help, so she could sell them on the weekend._

_Vikis was kindly and sweet to her. He was great to Dori. He’d set him in his lap at the table and teach him to play card and dice games. Occasionally, he went out with them to walk through the marketplace, cloaked with the hood up, but not often. It didn’t help he was a thief. It was the hardest part to push from her mind, but the comfort and sense of care he gave to her and her child, helped to cloud her judgement on that matter._

_She thought things were getting better for her and Dori again._

_Then she found out she was pregnant._

_She was so sure it would make Vikis run. It was one thing to play with someone else’s babe. It was another thing to help sire one and be responsible for it._

_Mari put Dori to bed with a story and tucked him in, while Vikis watched with a mug of ale from the door frame. Normally after she left the room with him, the mug was drained by him, thrown in the sink, and they would end up having some lively banter and teasing on the way to her bedroom for a long, warm night together._

_Tonight the mug made it to being half drained before she asked to speak with him. “Vikis, could we talk in the living room tonight?” She asked softly._

_“Livingroom, sweetheart? What if Dori woke up? Wouldn’t want him to walk in on anything. From the bedroom we would have time to hear him if he did.” Vikis replied._

_“No, I don’t mean for us to…” Mari waved it away. “I don’t mean sex in the livingroom. An actual talk. I have...something important to...tell you.” She looked down to avoid meeting his eyes. She went into a big, comfy arm chair he had bought her not too long ago. It was a human one, so it was much too oversized._

_He didn’t give her any warning before putting his mug down and flopping in next to her and pulling her closely. “What’s wrong? You know you can talk to me. Is this about marriage? Cause honestly, I’ve never considered it. I’ve been with a lot of dwarfs before, although you are by far the prettiest. I’m just not the settling down type of dwarf. I love a lot of men and women. You are my favourite though. I fancy you much more than any dwarf i’ve come across. Well...maybe I could marry you. I’d always come back to you, but I have trouble with monogamy.”_

_She shut her eyes tight. She knew he slept with others, that was something unspoken though. She didn’t want to think about it. It would ruin the fantasy. “Yes...I know you don’t spend all your nights here, just most of them since we met. I’m not asking you for marriage. You’ve made life a bit more bearable these past few months. I’m so grateful for you helping me care for my babe, and not leaving me alone at night. Just...the not being alone all those night...oh...please don’t be mad. I’m pregnant.”_

_He barked a laugh, making her jump. “I’d imagine. With how much time we spend together, it was only a matter of time, wasn’t it?” Vikis smirked at her._

_“Well. Yes. But I figured an unattached man wouldn’t want to spawn any child.” Mari played with the skirts of her dress. “Have you had children?”_

_“Aye, many, and I make sure to give time to every one of them. I love kids, thought you saw that by the way I play with Dori. I’m happy to father and love this one too, pretty. Yours might have been getting a bit more attention than my others for the past little while, I admit, but that’s because you’re so much better than any other bedmate I’ve had. I’m afraid you have me wanting you and your tiny family more than them.”_

_Mari blushed and wondered why that sounded charming. That shouldn’t sound charming, but something about being above the rest made her feel special. “Maybe you could bring them here, then. As long as everyone is a good influence of Dori and the babe in me.”_

_A giant grin spread across Vikis’ face. That should have tipped Mari off that she had just made a horrible mistake. “All my babes are good influences. I promise you.”_

_Mari wasn’t prepared for what happened next._

_Vikis had many sons and daughters, much more than Mari could have ever guessed. The worst part of it all was they were all thieves. Three days in and Mari was dragging Dori to stay in her room with her while these monsters had run of her home. She was sure Bardur was pacing around in the afterlife, judging and screaming at her. That wasn’t like him, Bardur was always gentle and sweet, but she had never made such a gigantic mistake._

_That night she grabbed Vikis after Dori was put to bed back in his room. “Vikis, please take them out of here.” She asked sternly. “Your children are...I can’t have them around Dori.”_

_Vikis looked amused. “And why is that, sweetheart?”_

_She looked astonished. “You...you promised they were good influences. They tried teaching Dori gambling and knife tricks. They keep cursing and talking about sex. I don’t want that around my babies.”_

_He reached out to rub her cheek gently. “Sweetie, they are good influences. For budding thieves.”_

_Mari’s eyes widened and she slapped his hand away. “Get. Out.”_

_“Shhhhh.” He held a finger to his lips. “Bit late for that, my dear. I already got a bun in your oven. Now, I can-”_

_“I want you out! You promised me no thief business!” Mari screamed. “My son will not be a thief!”_

_“Oh, so you would rather him be a whore like you’ve been? Because that can be arranged.” Vikis pulled out a knife from his pocket._

_“Everything okay, Da? You need us to rough that bitch up?” Called one of the children from the kitchen, playing cards with his fellow thieves._

_“No, Daddy can handle it.” Vikis called back._

_He flipped the knife in his hand, making Mari take a step back in fear and look towards Dori’s bedroom door. “Stay away from me! Stay away from my boy!” She dashed towards Dori’s door but Vikis grabbed her by the braids. She screeched and fought._

_“Stop screaming.” He ordered coldly while pulling her towards her room. He threw her on the bed and got atop her carefully. He held the knife up by her neck. “Now then, shhh. Quiet pretty. We can make this easy, or hard. You know I don’t want to take little Dori away in exchange for you and our babe dead tonight. Let’s work this out.”_

_“O-okay…” Mari whispered. Every part of her shook underneath him. She tried her best not to cry but a few tears snuck out._

_“I’ve been good to you, beauty. Very good. I give you whatever money you and Dori need. He was able to live because you met me. You don’t want him to be a thief? He isn’t mine, I’ll let you have him. If you were any other whore I’ve slept with, I’d be telling you he’s mine along with the babe I’ve started in your gorgeous little tummy. You’re special, Mari. Very special. I want to make you happy.” He wiped away Mari’s tears gently. “I’m so surprised some noble hasn’t come around to sweep you off your feet and take you and Dori from poverty. Guess I got here first.”_

_“Wh-where…where are you g-going with this?” She twisted her fingers in the blankets below them and shut her eyes tight. “B-because I’m not happy.”_

_“I know, sweetheart. Where I’m going with this is, I’m going to leave Dori untouched. The babe in your belly, you’re sharing him or her with me, but I’ll be good. I’ll let you name him or her for you like you did to Dori. Now, no more fighting with me. Most bearers who want to fight me, I’d cut them off from money and take the babes. Or kill them and take the babes. Whatever is easier. I’m not going to do that to you. I’ll take my other children out of the house but there’s always going to be three or four watching the house, just to make sure you don’t run with Dori. If you try to, I’ll take Dori far away. Let me make that really clear. You will never see him again if you try to run from me. You follow?”_

_Mari looked fearful. “Yes…”_

_“Good. I’m going to get off. If you need to cry, since you look ready to, you can. I’ll put the knife away. Okay?” Vikis said as he slowly moved off her._

_Mari broke down crying before he completely got off and curled into a ball. Her fantasy was ruined. She didn’t do right by Bardur. Her sweet little Dori was a bargaining chip and this new little babe in her tummy would become just like those disgusting dwarfs that belonged to Vikis. She had given permission to be in her house. What was she doing._

_Time passed. Her belly grew bigger. Dori began to get anxiety and paranoia from Vikis’ sons and daughters who would peer into their windows at night, keeping a closer eye on them nights Vikis wasn’t in the house. She refused to sleep with him, and any time he did stay the night was against her will. Now Vikis insisted that he and Mari got married. He was infatuated with her, much more than any of the other dwarrows he had impregnated. She constantly refused._

_Her babe was born._

_Nori._

_Mari tried to hate him. She tried to pretend his future didn’t matter, that Dori’s was more important. She tried but simply couldn’t. She fell in love with Nori the same way she had with Dori when he was born. The only problem Nori had was being Vikis’ son. Other than that, he was born a perfect little redhead, just like Dori was._

_Helping with the baby helped Dori’s nerves. Nori was a loud baby, but the second he was in Dori’s arms being rocked, he settled down. Every time her eldest looked at Nori in his arms, his eyes filled with fascination and awe. Anything Nori did, Dori would be excited about._

_“Mama, Nori yawned! Look! His cheeks are cute. Mama he’s blinking a lot, I think he’s gonna fall asleep. Mama, I love him.” Dori smiled up at Mari._

_Once again her small family was healing slowly._

_The biggest issue was Vikis and his rather large ring of thieves._

_He had full intent to one day make Nori another one of his lackeys._

_She tried to use Vikis’ infatuation with her to free him from the life of thievery that Vikis wanted for him. She begged and pleaded but Vikis refused. He wouldn’t even let her exchange the marriage he wanted for Nori’s future. He wanted her and Nori._

_It didn’t help that after their fight months ago she wouldn’t sleep with him and he wasn’t as welcome in her home, but that was for the better for Dori and Nori._

_She wished things were different but after having Nori, she would never want to give him up._

_She failed herself. She failed Bardur. Most of all she failed her babes._

“I’ve never been able to forgive myself…I’m so sorry I ruined both of your lives.” Mari said after telling Dori and Nori her long story.

“Mama, if you didn’t do what you did, Dori would be dead and I wouldn’t exist. He wouldn’t have lived through that sickness. And if you didn’t keep seeing Vikis, well…” Nori rubbed the back of his neck with his good hand. “I like existing.” 

“Life wouldn’t be the same without Nori. I needed my brother, Mother. We don’t blame you for Vikis being a shit stain on our life.” Dori said crudely and pulled Nori towards him. “This pain in the arse gets on my nerves, but I love him.” 

Mari smiled gently. “I love you both.”

“One question.” Nori said as he pulled away from Dori. He pointed at Mari’s impregnated belly. “You never made this clear. Is this one my sire’s?”

“No, I haven’t slept with Vikis in years. After I stopped taking his money and started being an unofficial companion, which, yes without being in a guild, is illegal, I met other dwarfs. This one belongs to that quiet one who would stay for breakfast and bring Dori books.” 

“You mean Mulrin? He’s okay. Hope this one comes out with our hair colour and not the blonde though. It’s not that nice with his or our skin tone. I just feel like pale and his blonde look too much like one colour. It’s too similar. Plus if it’s red, that means it will go to mithril colour and not white, like yours Mother.” Dori smiled. His own red hair was starting to get a few mithril hairs. He looked to Nori.

Nori was wearing a frown and looked away.

“What’s wrong?” Dori asked.

“Nothing. Things are fine.” He tried to hide the coolness in his voice.

“Nori.” Dori snapped.

“Fine! Fine, I was sort of hoping for a full blood brother or sister. Happy you got that out of me?” He still didn’t look towards Dori.

Dori was silent for a moment. Finally he reached out a hand to pull Nori sharply back towards him. “You are my full blood brother, and don’t you dare put that half brother nonsense in your head. We both came from Mother regardless of sire. Mother never married Vikis so as far as anyone is concerned you’re Nori, son of Mari and Bardur. No one can take that away from you or me. You are my brother. You are brother to whatever Mother bares soon. You are not brother to any of those thieving trolls that Vikis laid all over Ered Luin. Got it?”

Nori let Dori hold onto him and tried not to smile. “You’re a much too sentimental dork, Dori.”

“Oh you brat, it’s bedtime.” Dori got up, bringing Nori with him. “I love you. You know that?”

“Yes, I know.” Nori rolled his eyes and pulled away from Dori once they were up.

Mari smiled lovingly at her little boys. She didn’t regret the past, because this is what gave her two perfect babes and a third on the way. She did wish she could have changed some things, like given Dori lessons at a guild for a craft or not let Nori out of her sight when she didn’t realize he enjoyed being a thief on his time off. This was all okay though. Nori still had lessons in weaving after convincing Vikis to help pay, she told him it would help his fingers get nimbler. Dori still loved owning his own shop, he had a natural management skill. 

Her boys would grow honest and happy here in Erebor. 

This was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING!
> 
> I will try, try, try not to take so long again!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for checking out my work! I love comments and questions. If anything sounds wrong or seems weird, think I need any certain tags, then please let me know


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